Fine Print
by TheBlightedGriffin
Summary: She was nothing. She grew up in the desert and lived as a scavenger. And yet unknown to her, she was promised to one of the most powerful men in the world. Emperor Kylo Ren. Who will stop at nothing to get his betrothed back. Fantasy AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Writing this for fun while patiently waiting for Star Wars VIII. :3**

 **This story is more fantasy based as I'm more comfortable at writing fantasy. I've watched a load of fairy tale themed movies that inspired this story. Keylo/Rey. Maybe onesided Finn/Rey.**

 **There will be steampunkish elements within the story.**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Unkar Plutt inherited his junk shop from his father. And like his father before him, every day as soon as the sun rises he'd open the shop, analyse various objects great and small with his microscopic lens. Deal with various scavenger scum throughout the day. And when the sun started to go down, he'd count his money, lock up and go home.

The tradition will end with Unkar, as he had no children. But he was content with his life.

One day something unusual happened.

A white horse rode through the dusty village. A woman in a fiery, red cloak slipped down from her steed with a small child in hand.

Unkar watched with his small eyes as the woman cleared the sand from her child's eyes with a gentle hand. The woman turned to look at Unkar with dark glistening eyes. She strode forward almost regal like.

"Unkar Plutt?" the woman asked in a cool voice. "I will speak with you."

"I'm going home." Unkar blustered, not about going to be ordered around by a random stranger.

"You will." the woman bluntly said. "Or should I go to someone else with my generous offer?"

The prospect of a business offer made him pause. With a deep, guttural sigh he fetched his keys from his pocket. He opened the shop door and invited the woman inside with his head.

He could see the woman bend to her daughter's level and talk to her. He didn't really care enough to eavesdrop and went behind his desk where he conducted most of his business dealings.

The woman entered, her cloak now framing her fair and young face. Her eyes and hair of curls were a beautiful dark brown. She walked forward towards him and toss him a heavy leather pouch that landed on the desk with a clink.

He grabbed it quickly, it spilt out gold coins. Quickly he started counting until the woman interrupted.

"A hundred gold pieces." Unkar gawked at the woman. "I shall send you, hundred gold pieces without delay, each month."

"What's the catch?" Unkar asked cautiously.

"Protect my child, Rey." the woman said simply.

Unkar couldn't help but snort. "Ma'am, I'm not going to be paid to be a snot nosed brat's babysitter."

"Did I ask you to be?" the woman asked coolly. She started to slow down her voice like he was particularly idiotic. "Keep her safe. As in keep her from harm, don't let her die and certainly do not harm her yourself."

"You don't know anything, about me woman," Unkar grumbled.

"You think I chose you at random?" the woman asked with a snort. "No, I'm sure you don't remember. But my _husband_ briefly worked for you."

She pulled out a piece of parchment from her small bag. It was a contract, in neat penmanship detailing what he should and shouldn't do. Mostly about fairly obvious things, like not letting the child starve, or keep her in sullied conditions.

"I know enough about you, that you can't afford to say no." the woman sharply said after a few moments of silence from him. "Sign it and you'll have enough money each month to spend at your leisure."

He grumbled, shot her a glare and read through all the fine print. He grabbed his quill and roughly signed the page with his messily scrawled name.

Suddenly Unkar was in blinding pain and he let out a shrieking yell. His wrist was in agony, he growled when he saw what looked a tattoo. A tattoo of chains that bound around his wrist.

"Magic!" he hissed, glaring at the woman. The woman looked rather unaffected at his pain.

"It's assurance." she simply said.

"Assurance?!" Unkar spluttered. "This is assault! I should-" He stopped his rant before he could spout out threats of gathering the villagers and hanging the mage bitch that cursed him, he saw her raise her hand. Her hand glowed a faint light of emerald-green, her eyes challenged him to threatened her. But he valued his life more.

"Yes." her voice low. "Assurance." She stepped down close to him, her eyes staring him down in a tranquil fury. "Because _if_ you intentionally hurt, beat, starve, or rape my daughter. That,"

Her finger pointed to the tattoo. "Will trigger, it will give you the worst pain imaginable and if you willing cause my daughter to die. That will kill you too."

"But-" Unkar started to say.

"It's a mage contract. It's not illegal, do what I ask and nothing will come of it." she coolly replied.

Unkar sat in silence to process the situation, rubbing a thick finger over the tattoo. "I won't coddle her. But I'll make sure she has a place to live and plenty to eat." he quietly grumbled.

"That is all, that I ask." the woman said.

"Who are you anyway," Unkar asked, truly puzzled by this stranger.

Her eyes looked sad for a moment. "That does not matter, it is dangerous for you to know. And for Rey to know too."

She left the shop, the door slamming behind her. Unkar trotted over to the door, looking through the glass on the door. He saw the woman bending towards the child's level, she explained something while stroking her face. The little girl no older than six burst into tears.

Unkar grunted. He hated the thought of taking care of an emotional little brat. The woman with small hesitation got on her horse and rode away. The kid started to scream after her.

As quick as he could he trotted over to the child who was ready to run and roughly grabbed her arm to stop her.

"No!" the child wailed. "No! Stop! Come back!"

The woman did not turn to look back at her child, the white horse became smaller in the distance. Each moment passing.

Realising that her mother would not turn back. The child slumped to the ground sobbing.

Unkar growled out a sigh, he did not look forward to much more of this.

But true to his word. He did keep the child, Rey safe. He made sure that the brat didn't starve, she had a place to sleep and began working at age seven. Eventually, she purchased a small hut in town with the money she earned at eleven.

When Rey, the monthly fee stopped. After three months of no payment, Unkar was sure that Rey's mother was dead. The thought of selling the girl into slavery crossed his mind, as was his right as her technical guardian but as soon as the thought crossed his mind his tattoo itched and reminded him of the curse. He didn't know if selling the girl breached the contract but he was wary of finding out.

That girl was nothing but a thorn stuck in his side. Damn that contract.

* * *

Kylo Ren held an old contract with his leather gloved hand. Contracts were the way of the world. It was not only used for business purposes but for personal purposes as well. That was the type of contract he was holding. The handwriting on the piece of parchment, detailed the matters of dowries and lines at the end of the contract signed: Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The young emperor did not meet either man but had heard plenty about them. From all sides.

The scribe who found this document looked up at him, his eyes laced with fear. Kylo sensed the man was eager to please him and terrified of angering him.

"My thanks for finding this." Kylo finally said in his low, deep voice.

The scribe's mouth twitched, still fearing the emperor's wrath. It was hard to tell, the emperor's emotions. With his black mask that he wore. The black mask modelled after his grandfather's.

Kylo enjoyed the affect his mask had on people. He could read emotions and motives far easier than he would without it. The scribe was always a weaselly social-climber but was always fearful of people of higher rank. Especially him. Perhaps because he was a mage as well and could set him on fire whenever he wanted. But the scribe does his job well, he can appreciate that.

"Is there a reason, my grandfather wanted to unite my family with the Kenobi's?" he asked in a monotone.

"To keep the magic strong in your bloodline, my emperor." the scribe answered carefully.

Kylo paused, in deep thought. The scribe seemed visibly relaxed when Kylo was silent.

The emperor scanned his memories, the name Kenobi was familiar. The contract signed by Anakin, so this was made before his grandfather became Vader.

His uncle, naively explained to him that Obi-Wan was one of the best wizards in the world when he was young. He vaguely remembered a woman, named Katala. He met her once as he saw her playing chess with his mother. But there was a little girl he remembered more, she was his playmate and his betrothed it would seem.

A happy giggle rang through his mind. Him looking up at her in the palace tree she had managed to climb despite her young age.

One day, during a particularly cold morning he found his mother waiting for him. She sat him down, gently stroked his black hair and told him that Katala and Reyana were missing.

 _'We'll find them, Ben, I promise.'_ those were his mother's words. Another empty promise by a traitor.

Eventually, he brushed the situation aside, he had more pressing issues, but now that he had his empire…

"Did were the Kenobi's ever found?" Kylo asked, he did not remember a conclusion to the situation and had more pressing matters to attend to over time.

"The Kenobi girl was never found." the scribe recalled. "Her mother was found dead years ago. Her corpse was sent to the family crypt."

"Where?" Kylo asked.

"Krant." the scribe answered quickly.

Kylo looked at the delicate piece of parchment and knew what he needed to do.

"You are dismissed." Kylo waved his hand in dismissal.

The scribe bowed lowly. "My thanks, my Emperor." He then all but scurried away, his footsteps clicking against the marble floor.

Logically speaking, Reyana would perhaps be in Krant. But he knew if his grandfather truly wanted to find someone, he'd use a force he could trust. Magic.

The emperor slipped away down to his private study, contract in hand, where all of his grandfather's collection of the dark arts was. He briefly remembered seeing a location spell, all he needed was a trace of a person to locate them. It doesn't need the person specifically but an essence of a blood relation would be enough.

He poured water from his silver pitcher in a golden bowl and filled it to the top. He carefully ripped a corner of the contract that Obi-Wan had signed and placed it in the bowl. It limply floated to the top. He muttered an incantation and the water in the bowl swirled in a small whirlpool, the contract burned to a crisp and the liquid turned a blood-red.

"Show me Reyana." he commanded.

The image of a girl appeared in the red pool. No, not a girl but a woman. He saw her. He saw her gorgeous hazel eyes like glittering jewels, her beautiful brown locks and her feminine body so slim.

He smiled to himself, his grandfather was truly wise to try to unite his bloodline with the Kenobi's. Reyana was alone in the desert landscape and the smile slipped off his face. The desert, the hermit life was not fit for a noblewoman. Especially the future Empress.

He will find her. He swore to himself on his grandfather's grave.

Kylo was disappointed that her surroundings didn't show her location. As there were quite a few desert countries to search. He summoned Captain Phasma and gave her a task.

* * *

The deserts of Jakku were beautiful, there were times that Rey could enjoy the silence and appreciate the beauty of the landscape. These moments she could forget her terrible loneliness.

Focusing on the task at hand, she lugged her bag of rusted items she deemed of worth towards the junk shop, in the small little village in the distance. Owned by the fat blob of a guardian.

She swung open the shop door, seeing that the shop was empty strode forward and plopped the heavy bag on his wooden desk with a clunk.

Unkar said nothing but gave her a heated glare before painstakingly examining each individual item. Rey crossed her arms, staring at the man impatiently.

"For this lot," Unkar grunted before pulling out a small bag of coins and slides it towards Rey.

The pouch was incredibly light, she quickly looked in and saw a small amount of gold.

"What? This is only enough for a couple of meals!" Rey muttered angrily. "Last time it was-"

"I gave you enough," Unkar grumbled, glaring at her. "If you want more money, find more work. I'm sure you can find it." A dark implication rang out in his words. More money, meant seedier work, work that Rey would rather starve than take.

Rey sneered at him angrily, before storming out of the shop in a huff letting the door slam. She really hated that fat bastard.

The marketplace was particularly busy this afternoon, perhaps if Rey was careful with her money she'd have enough for the week. She brushed passed the colourful locals, to get to the bread stall and waited in line.

In her peripheral vision, she saw two men staring at her whispering. She glanced to see two Storm Soldiers in their glaringly white masks and armour. They were lackeys for the emperor. What were they doing in Jakku? She decided to mind her own business until she felt an armoured hand clutch her shoulder.

"Miss." the locals gave them a wide berth out of fear, allowing the storm soldier to loom over her. "What's your name?"

Rey gave a puzzled look to the trooper. "Why do you need to know?"

The two storm soldiers glanced at each other and then the Storm Soldier who held her shoulder made a grab for her hand bending it behind her back. He said in a soulless tone. "You need to come with us, ma'am."

"What are you doing?! Let go!" she screamed.

Instinctively she elbowed the soldier in the face, the other soldier moved in defence and Rey swung a kick hitting the other squarely in the groin. She immediately rushed away from the soldiers.

"Hey!" she heard a loud whisper, she snapped her head towards the voice. It was a young man, motioning towards him. Not having long to waste she rushed towards him, the soldiers in chase shortly behind them.

"This way!" the man yelled at Rey, they quickly ran around a corner towards an alley.

Great, a dead end. But the man darted towards an entrance and ran up some winding stairs and Rey followed. It looked like they were trapped again as all the stairs lead to was an opening to the rooftops.

"Jump." was all the man muttered before jumping across to the next rooftop.

They jumped, rooftop after rooftop until it led to a dead-end. Rey and the man whipped their head around to see the soldiers still following them. The man looked at Rey, a silent command.

 _Jump_. And they did.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Please tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello there guys! Thank you for the alerts, favs and the reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

"They actually jumped..." Rey heard one of the storm soldiers mutter in amazement, from above them. Her heart pounded against her chest. She prayed to the Maker that they couldn't see them as they hid under the linen woven awning, crouching in the shade.

"Search around." she heard the other say. "That's certainly the girl we're looking for."

She heard the soft footsteps of the soldiers leaving. Suddenly the man grunted in pain.

"Are you all right?" she asked him, her eyes caught blood oozing from the dark skin of his leg which he clutched in pain. He managed to shoot her a pained smile.

"I guess jumping off a building...wasn't one of my best plans." he joked, this made Rey flash a small smile at the man.

"We need to treat that wound," Rey said in a determined tone.

"No way," the man said in a hushed voice. "You'll get caught! Go on without me!"

Rey shot him a look that made him be quiet. "I won't. Lay back," she commanded softly, gently pushing him against the sandy ground.

"...What are you doing?" the man asked confused.

"Helping you," she answered simply while scanning her surroundings, making sure no one was coming behind her. "We don't have long...hopefully, this will work."

The man looked rightfully worried, he titled his head up to watch what she was doing. Rey breathed deeply. She hovered her hands over his wounded leg. After a few seconds of nothing, it happened. A white light ebbed from her hands, a warm sun-like glow, the man looked on in shocked as his wound slowly faded away.

"How is it?" she asked him. He bent his leg to make sure it was really healed. She was prepared for him to run away when he realised that he was able too.

"Wow." the man beamed a smile at her, Rey felt her cheeks burn. "That's amazing!"That was not the reaction she was expecting.

"We need to move," Rey said, whipping her head to check the storm soldiers weren't coming this way. "I know a place we can stop for a while."

She ran toward a dusty stone archway, the man following closely behind.

"Where are you going? That leads to the desert." the man asked.

"Yes, I know."

* * *

Seventeen felt the irritant burn underneath the mark on his skin, the one that each Storm Soldier received when they had survived their training. He titled his head, he saw that Zeroes clutched his silver armoured arm.

 _He_ was summoning them.

He followed his brother in arms, ceasing search on the girl momentarily. Though they could not stop for long. Seventeen arrived in the deserted market square. They waited, looking up at the dwindling sun-kissed sky.

A single raven swooped through the air, letter attached to its leg. It fluttered down to perch on Zeroes arm. Allowing him to untie the red string that held it.

Zeroes let the piece of parchment float onto the sandy ground, he clicked his fingers lighting it on fire. Normal parchment would have simply blackened and curl up letting the flames die. But this was not normal, not with the Emperor's seal. Pale blue smoke slowly rose from the burning piece of paper, Seventeen kneeled simultaneously with the other Storm Soldiers.

" _ **What is your report?"**_ the deep disembodied voice of their Emperor said.

A cold silence drifted between the soldiers, none wanted to admit their failure. Seventeen cautiously cast his eyes towards Zeroes. He didn't look up and seemed unwilling to talk about the girl they found earlier.

" _ **Well?"**_ the emperor's voice dangerously edged with impatience.

Seventeen swallowed, his throat dry and heart racing slightly. He remembered his training sessions. The chants he had to shout as he was forced to defend himself from his brothers in arms. _'DEATH is NOTHING. Live and DIE for the EMPEROR! FOR THE EMPEROR!'_

He stood up rigidly, saluting for his Emperor. He can almost feel the cold stare of his master. From his peripheral vision, he could see several soldiers tilt their heads to look at him.

"We found her." Seventeen cautiously admitted. "We've confirmed with the locals. Reyana is located in Jakku."

" _ **You've retrieved her then. Bring her forward."**_ He commanded softly.

Seventeen felt a chill run down his spine.

" _ **You**_ **have** _ **found her haven't you?"**_

"My Emperor, we pursued her," Seventeen said as calmly as possible, trying to ignore the smoke drifting towards his face. "She...escaped.

" _ **Escaped?"**_ his master's voice hissed like a snake. **"** _ **How does one woman manage to avoid a soldier with a lifetime of training?!"**_

Before Seventeen could respond, the smoke coiled around his neck like a snake and felt his windpipe slowly being crushed. His feet dangled in the air as he was lifted up by an unseen force.

" _ **You know what failure demands."**_ the cold voice of his master said.

Seventeen's vision became black. For a frightening moment, he swore he saw his master's masked face. He was certain that his neck would eventually snap until the voice of Zeroes spoke up.

"My emperor, she had help." he quietly spoke. "A man helped her avoid us. She can't be far away, we'll find her."

Seventeen felt himself drop to the ground, he breathed deeply trying to regain his breath.

" _ **Do not fail me."**_ the emperor hissed at them all. _**"I will not be merciful next time."**_

All of the storm soldiers saluted, Seventeen weakly did so as well. They watched the smoke slowly fade away, but each of them understood the message clearly.

Find the girl or die.

* * *

Finn felt the aching burn underneath his mark as he followed the girl into an empty ship, half sunken into the desert sand. The Emperor was summoning the Storm Soldiers. Why? Was it because of her? Why did they want her? Was it because she was a mage?

"Did you hurt your arm as well?" she asked softly, her hazel eyes gazing at his hand that rubbed his clothed arm.

"No, no. I didn't hurt it." Finn quickly lied, straightening up. "It's just...itchy."

It made sense. This place _was_ pretty dusty, the smell of must was strong and made his nostrils itch with irritation.

"We should be safe here for a while." the girl calmly said as she lit up a small lantern. Illuminating the room. "It won't be comfortable to sleep in, but it would be better than getting arrested."

"What _is_ this place?" Finn asked her, his eyes scanning his environment. It looked like an old Captain's office, though he has only been in Captain Phasma's before now. With dusted old portraits, glinting bits of broken glass from windows and wine glasses. It didn't make sense that an old boat is in the middle of the desert.

The girl tilted her head at him in confusion. "Are you not from around here?"

"No, not really," Finn answered honestly.

A small smile appeared on the girl's face. She almost looked glad for a moment and shot him a grin as she told the tale.

"They call this the Ship's Graveyard." She answered placing the lantern on a particularly filthy looking desk. "Ships have been embedded in the sand for as long as I can remember."

Finn decided to seat himself on the dusted filled floor, as the girl leant back against the desk as she told him the tale.

"Many years ago, all the sands underneath these ships were water. In place of the desert, a beautiful ocean sparkling like a sapphire. Soft winds and breezes to cool the hot air."

"What happened?" Finn found himself asking.

The girl's smile faded. "The old emperor happened. Jakku and Tatooine were one of the few countries to completely reject him. Jakku had a large port, their ships ready to protect what was theirs from the conqueror. He arrived in one single black steel ship, the sailors laughed as they saw that one lonely ship. ' _What a fool, we clearly outnumber him. We can show him we never bow to bloodthirsty warlords.'_ They said to each other."

The lantern flickered shadows against the beaten looking wooden walls, it added a certain menace to her story.

"The old Emperor raised his arms to the sky, the clouds turned black and rumbled. The black ship in the distance disappeared. The sailor's confusion slowly turned to horror as they realised the beautiful blue water became golden sand. Their ships sank halfway into the sand. When their feet touched the ground, it swallowed them up whole. Jakku surrendered to their new emperor and Tatooine shortly after."

"Wow." Finn blinked. "How can he make an entire ocean disappear?"

"Some people say he didn't really. He simply expanded the land. People starved." the girl said bitterly. "That wouldn't be the first time that monster, destroyed people's lives."

"That sounds a powerful spell for one mage to do himself..." Finn cautiously said hoping not to offend her.

The girl raised her eyebrows but didn't seem insulted.

"This happened long before I was born." the girl explained thoughtfully. "That's just the story that everyone says, it's possible that something else happened instead. Now, these ships are used for scavengers like me to loot for profit."

"You should be a healer." Finn grinned at her, unconsciously shifting his once broken leg. "You'd be good at it."

The girl looked at him doubtfully. Finn was confused as to why there were a handful of mages in the storm soldiers and were treated especially well. But he never saw magic to heal and mend, only to burn and destroy.

"I don't know where you're from, but here in the desert lands no one trusts mages." the girl explained carefully, her hazel eyes seemed to scrutinise him slightly. "Mages are said to bring nothing but trouble."

"I don't think you're trouble," Finn muttered almost to himself.

"You don't know me." the girl clarified lightly. "I _could_ be trouble."

"You could've left me behind, but you didn't." Finn pointed out. "And I'm getting to know you now."

The girl stared at him for a few seconds. "What's your name?"

"Finn." he answered quickly.

"I'm Rey," she revealed holding out her hand for him to shake. He flashed her a friendly grin before taking it and in turn, she smirked lightly back.

Finn believed that he liked her.

* * *

Kylo Ren felt irritated. He wanted Reyana to be home where she belonged, it was taking far longer than he had hoped.

" _ **Something vexes you, my disciple?"**_ Kylo heard the dark voice of his lord looming in his mind. He was staring at the burnt mask of his grandfather on the marble pedestal, silently judging through hollowed out uneven eyes.

"She should be here." Kylo solemnly gritted out, his dark eyes never leaving the mask.

" _ **Take care that your feelings for her do not weaken you."**_ the dark voice warned softly. _**"Instead let them strengthen you, as they did for Vader."**_

Kylo remembered the marble statue of his grandmother located in the gardens by the lake, the very same lake that he and Reyana used to hunt through the tall grass for frogs. Padme was the love of Vader's life and it was his love for her that helped him become one of the greatest emperors of all time. He longed for that himself.

" _ **Yet you rely on your soldiers so readily? Letting the girl avoid your grasp."**_ his lord pointed out not unkindly. Kylo felt him then, felt his presence behind him in the shadows clasping his shoulder in an almost comforting manner. _**"Find her. Prove your devotion. Your destiny is tied with hers."**_

Kylo inhaled deeply. He placed his mask on his face and left the room. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

When Rey slept that night she dreamt of the sapphire ocean. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen it before, but her dreams were often peaceful and soothing. Rey felt herself in another place.

A place of jade green plant life and more flora than she had ever seen in her life. Rey stood on the edge of the cliff, watching the waves crash below her. She felt a warm presence behind her, she turned her head.

Behind her was a man in brown drab robes, he had grey hair shining through the dirty blonde with a wild looking beard. The man stared at her, a silver hand glinting as he held the hilt of his sword. But he seemed like a comforting presence.

" _Rey."_ the man said.

She gave him a confused look. This dream felt very, lucid.

" _Go to Tuanul, someone there will help you. Leave Jakku."_ the man instructed.

"I can't." Rey found herself saying. "I _have_ to stay here. I'm waiting for someone."

The man looked at her with sympathy. _"Rey search the answers inside yourself. You know that your family aren't coming for you."_

"LIAR!" she screamed, surprising even herself. "They-"

" _They? Rey...I know_ _ **why**_ _you cling to Jakku, why you insist on staying even though you know deep down you want to explore the world."_

Hot tears streamed down her face, she didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to, she wanted to wake up.

" _You've forgotten them, but you want to remember._ _There's nothing for you in Jakku anymore._ _"_

His words cut through her heart like glass. Because of the truth of it. The memory of her mother was more like a feeling as she could recall her smell, a soft flowery smell that drifted from her skin. The sight of her red cloak. Over time the memory of her face faded. She didn't remember her father at all.

" _Go to Tuanul. Your destiny is tied to B-"_

The man's face faded as she opened her eyes, morning light shining through the cracked window of the barren ship. Tears had soaked her face and thought how real the dream felt.

Tuanul was a little village in the middle of the desert, past the Graveyard of Ships and hidden by the dunes.

"Maybe it's an idea to leave Jakku altogether," Finn muttered to Rey. Secretly she agreed.

It was perhaps safer heading to Tatooine and buying a ship to sail somewhere else. But Finn seemed strangely naive of the desert and its troubles.

"It's not a safe journey leaving the desert lands. The wildlife is unpredictable and there are slavers just waiting to pounce on two lone travellers." Rey explained. "At the very least, we can investigate Tuanul."

"Rey…I know you're a mage and everything. But…what if your dream is just that?" Finn cautiously pointed out.

Rey shrugged her shoulders. "It beats waiting around and getting captured back home."

Truthfully, she didn't know what to expect. They approached Tuanul, the village itself was almost picturesque with its little orange thatched cottages in rows against the golden sand.

"They seem friendlier than the town I'm from," Rey remarked casually.

Finn looked at her. "How can you tell?"

"They _aren't_ trying to sell us crap and haven't tried to pickpocket us," Rey smirked, but that faded when she felt someone slowly brush against her shoulder. She looked up to see a slightly taller man, with black hair.

"You should be out of sight." the man quietly said to her, his eyes did not meet hers and stared blankly ahead. She could see that Finn was staring hotly at the stranger, seeming to determine whether he was a threat or not.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

"Storm soldiers have been asking around for a girl that fits your description." the man said quietly. "They're in the tavern right now. If they come and see you, they will arrest you."

Finn looked like he wanted to leave right away and hissed. "Let's go."

"No, follow me. Look natural." the stranger muttered, still looking at neither of them.

"How do we know we should trust this guy?" Finn said suspiciously.

Rey caught the sight of the glinting silver armour of the Storm Soldiers as they exited the tiny tavern, seemingly staggering out. She quickly turned heel to follow the stranger, a feeling in her gut told her that she could trust him.

She felt Finn following her, though she could tell he was rightfully wary of the stranger. The stranger walked down some stone stairs that led to a cellar. Rey whipped her head around to see the storm soldiers hot on their trail, perhaps they didn't see them but she didn't want to find out if they did or not.

She followed the stranger into a dark cellar and for a horrifying second, Rey wondered if she had made a terrible mistake. Until someone lit a candle in the corner of the room.

It was an old man, with a wrinkly face and white hair with drab robes.

"Close the door Poe." the man ordered the stranger, who nodded and clasped the wooden door shut leaving them in darkness except for the candlelight.

The old man's eyes seemed to study Rey slightly until he started to light other candles in the room. It revealed painted stone walls of murals, a white looking sun and dotted lines.

"This is the church of Light." the man explained.

Finn and Rey exchanged a look, confused as to why this man would help them.

"I am very glad you listened to your instincts and found your way to Tuanul, Rey." the man gave a small smile at her.

Rey bristled. "How do you know my name?"

"Names are powerful...I was friends with your family," the man's cloudy eyes stared into the distance. "I was friends with many people in my lifetime."

When Rey stared at him warily he approached her closer. "Rey, your mother was Katala and your father was Dayne. Your parents married in Naboo, in the lush green summer. It was a lovely ceremony." he recalled.

Rey realised he was telling the truth but could not explain how she knew. She felt tears bubbling up under the surface of her stoic exterior.

"Rey, how much do you know about the Kenobi's?" the man asked her.

* * *

Unkar Plutt was in an unusually cheery mood as he examined different bits and pieces of junk. He had heard about Rey being chased around the town by Storm Soldiers and figured it would be the last time he had to worry about her.

Even the tattoo mark on his arm began to fade slightly but wasn't going to worry about _why_ it was fading away.

He heard the click of his shop door open, the bell rattled slightly. Unkar didn't pay attention as to who entered his junk shop until a shadow blocked the light that he was using to examine his wares.

"Move out the-" Unkar started to bluster before looking up to see The Emperor himself looming over him. Storm soldiers were behind him, blocking people from entering the shop.

"Unkar Plutt?" the Emperor asked in his unnatural deep voice.

Unkar felt his mouth become dry. "Y-yes. That's me."

The Emperor seemed to examine a small golden item that was on his desk. "The locals have informed me that _you_ are the guardian of the girl, we're looking for."

"H-hey!" Unkar held up his hands in the air. "Whatever that little bitch has done, has nothing to do with me."

As soon as the words left his blubbery mouth he knew he made a mistake.

He found himself flung into the air, his round head smacking against the ceiling. It felt like an invisible hand was choking him and holding him in the same place.

"You _**dare**_ to be so uncouth in front of your Emperor?" the Emperor remarked dangerously, his own black leather gloved hand controlling the invisible force.

"I—I'm s-sorry-" Unkar choked out barely.

The Emperor released him and he fell to the floor.

"Let's start this again." the Emperor muttered. "Do you know where the girl is?"

"N-no. My lord." Unkar mumbles honestly, trying his best to be polite.

"You know the punishment for hiding a fugitive?" the Emperor asked.

 _Death._ "Yes, my lord. I don't know. I-I could tell you where she lives."

The Emperor looked at him. The black holes in his mask bored into his tiny eyes. Unkar couldn't read his emotion but he would guess it would be one of suspicion.

"Why should I believe you? You are her guardian, you could be simply protecting her..."

"I'm not really her guardian by choice, my lord." Unkar held up his thick arm for the Emperor to see the mark. "You could have her, for all I care."

The Emperor seemed to observe the mark for a moment.

"She bought a little house from me on the outskirts of town." Unkar blubbered.

The Emperor looked at him. "Did she sign a contract with you?"

Unkar shot him a nervous grin and moved to fumble through the documents inside his draw of his desk. He finally found it and placed it on the desk in front of him. With his leather gloved hand, the Emperor cautiously picked it up and observed the document.

"My thanks." the Emperor seemed pleased. "We shall leave you."

He swiftly left carrying the contract with him, his black cloak billowing behind him like a dark shadow. The storm soldiers left, slamming the door and letting the bell rattle once more.

Unkar sighed in relief. His tattoo itched but was glad he was alive for another day.

* * *

Kylo wanted to kill the fat whale of a man for calling his betrothed a bitch, but once he saw the mark on his arm he realised that he'd suffer greater alive than dead.

He was actually surprised that Katala Kenobi used such a nasty black magic spell. But for the first time in days, Kylo felt victorious.

Scrawled on the bottom of the contract was her name. Signed by her: Rey. He had a piece of her that he could use to track her properly, not just a glimpse like the last time.

The emperor was looking forward to the moment he would be able to hold her in his arms.

He felt that she was in the distance, past the graveyard of ships. And he ordered his men to move in.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** **Thank you very much for your reviews and favs! I had intended to release this chapter much earlier, but my laptop is on the fritz. Right now I am typing with a second keyboard because the one on my laptop has decided to rebel against me. I'd get a new one but I'm dirt poor.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

"No." Rey admitted. "I don't know who the Kenobi's are."

Though she felt that she _should_ know. The old man's pale eyes looked at her with slight pity, making her bristle.

"I see." He looked thoughtful for a few moments. "Then I need to tell you the story."

"You're in for a treat. Lor San Tekka is good at stories." Poe flashing a small grin at Rey. She gave a tiny awkward smile back.

"I think you've heard this one too many times." Lor San Tekka quietly said.

Poe's smile faded. His expression looking more serious.

The candle light flickered his shadow as he spoke. "I was only a boy during that fateful night in Theed. When King Anakin Skywalker made the transformation into Vader."

A chill was always present when the name Vader was uttered. Even long after his death, whether it was magic or just the mind Rey was not sure.

"I remember the explosion. I looked out of my bedroom window to see billowing smoke, thick and black seep out of the remains of the Temple of Light. It clouded the stars in the sky." San Tekka looked in the darkness distantly. "My mother fled the house in a panic, fearing for my uncle."

"The street became crowded with people wondering what had happened. Many had thought it was an experiment gone wrong, no one suspected that our own king had ordered the destruction."

"Why?" Rey found herself asking.

"His reasons were discovered after his death. He wanted to save his wife's life at the price of several others."

"And that worked?" Finn asked while frowning.

"No. It did not." Lor San Tekka answered softly.

The concept of committing such evil for love seemed almost unbelievable to Rey.

"We all saw the glint of silver from the Storm Soldiers, as they marched through Theed in soulless fashion."

Rey noticed Finn shift uncomfortably in the corner of her eye.

"There was an old mage that healed my broken arm once. The soldiers roughly dragged him inside her own home." His eyes looked sad as he recollected. "The door slammed but the door was left ajar. From the crack of the door, his blood spilled into the cobbled street. His head was cut off in a grisly way."

San Tekka let out a small broken sigh. "That was the first time in my life I saw such violence. It wasn't the last time."

Rey looked on with sympathy, quietly listening to his story. The man Poe silently stalked to the crack of the cellar door on the look out.

"The Mages of Light have been found guilty of treason against the royal family. One of the soldiers said. He demanded the crowd to bring out their mages to face their _justice_. Warning them anyone helping a mage will also be guilty of treason."

"What did you do?" Rey asked.

"I did what any young boy frightened did. I ran back into my home and hid." his voice was thick and weary. "I hid underneath my bed. The sound of heavy boots creaking against the floorboards coming after me shortly after."

He looked so tired while recalling it all. Rey doubted that this was the first time he told this story as well.

"They dragged me from underneath the bed, clutching tightly. I wasn't a mage, one of them wanted to leave me alone. But my uncle was, the other wanted to be safe than sorry. That one draw his sword while the other stalked to the doorway. I still remembered the cold feeling of the metal against my throat."

He instinctively rubbed his old hand against his throat, the bright candlelight revealed a tiny scar on the corner of his throat.

"What happened then?" Rey softly asked.

"I saw a bright blue light in the corner of my eye. It engulfed the soldier at the doorway, turning him to ash and bone. The other one let go in surprise allowing me to scurry away. I watched him rush at my saviour and then get quickly impaled on his sword."

He turned to Rey. "The man who saved me that night was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Your grandfather."

Rey looked at him slightly stunned, the rush of unfamiliar feeling flooding her as he continued.

"Obi-Wan was the subject of much scandal at the time. My mother and uncle used to constantly gossip about him before. He was made Lord of Stewjon, became a member of the royal council and married. A Mage of Light was not supposed to do any of those things, but was granted this by the King Anakin."

"Why would the King do that?" Rey blurted out.

"Obi-Wan and Anakin were friends, for a very long time. They were as close as brothers but that night changed everything changed. Including their relationship." he spoke earnestly. "Obi-Wan was always a good man however. His wife Satine was a good woman too."

"Obi-Wan told my mother to leave Naboo with me. Being the man he was, wanted to help as many people as he could. He asked Satine to travel with us to Coruscant. Perhaps in an effort to protect her, she looked like she wanted to argue but agreed. They embraced each other tightly, like neither one of them wanted to let go."

Rey felt tears threatening to prick. "Did they ever see each other again?"

"I do not know." San Tekka answered honestly. It was unlikely they did. "I saw him walk away with his sword in hand, ready to perform the ultimate traitorous deed. Kill the Emperor."

She longed to know the story of the battle between Vader and Obi-Wan. But only they knew what happened as no one was there to witness the battle.

"I along with my mother, travelled to the Coruscant docks with Satine and Katala. Helping who we could on the way. By the time we got to Coruscant their temple had already been destroyed along with countless of mages. I was shipped off to Takodana."

"What happened to them?" Rey asked. The words, mother and grandmother felt foreign to her lips.

"Satine refused to tell me where they were going. But I think Katala mentioned an island."

Rey felt a chill run through her. "You think?"

A small smile reached San Tekka's lips. "I heard her voice say it, but her mother did not react at all. I think she told me with her mind. I never told anyone."

"What happened to Obi-Wan?"

"After the battle with Vader, Obi-Wan travelled the world avoiding his clutches. Helping where he could until he grew too old to do so. He eventually met the hidden prince, Luke Skywalker." he looked at Rey with knowing eyes. "But I think you know his story."

Rey let out a little smile. As she had heard many tales of Luke, Leia and Han.

She felt joy that she finally knew who her family was but also felt an overwhelming burst of curiousity. She longed to know what happened to her mother, about her father and how they knew San Tekken.

Before she could say anything more all of a sudden it felt like her mind was on fire. Rey shrieked in pain as she dropped to her knees, clutching her temples with both hands.

"Rey!" Finn shouted.

Rey's vision slowly started to fade into darkness, she could make out the figures of Finn and Poe darting towards her. Voices became muffled. It was like her head was being dunked in and out of water.

"What did you..."

"down...we…never harm..."

"watch...help her..."

Frighteningly her vision was pure black. She could see nothing at all. A primal fear and a survival instinct stabbed her all at once. Her eyes searched for something. Anything rather than nothing.

" _Rey..."_ a clear voice spoke through the darkness. She recognised the voice of the man in her dreams.

Rey felt like she was somewhere else. She felt herself float, lightly bobbing up and down like she was on drifting water. Her eyes became more adjusted and saw tiny white specks in the darkness. It took a few moments to realise that they were stars and she lying on her back facing upwards.

She jolted forward. Rey saw the man in her dreams again. This time they were in a tiny boat. A small lantern illuminated a part of his face, the rest of their surroundings almost in darkness. His face looked gravelly serious, like he had aged considerably since their last encounter.

" _Sorry I had to pull you out of consciousness like that, Rey. It is never a pleasant experience."_ He said, his blue eyes stared at her in sympathy.

"You did that?" Rey spluttered. "Why?"

" _I will not be able to contact you after today."_ the man said gravelly, his silver hand glinted with the light of the lantern. _"You are being hunted down, by an old student of mine."_

"The Emperor." Rey grimaced slightly.

" _Yes."_ the man confirmed.

"Why? Why are you here?" Rey asked confused. "What do you want with me?"

The man raised his hand to point across the water. Rey squinted and could vaguely see the outline of an island.

"Is that the island my mother was talking about?" Rey asked.

" _Yes."_ a small smile drifted on the man's lips. " _Travel to the island. I will help you once you get there."_

"Where? How can I find you?"

" _Find Han Solo."_ the man seemed nostalgic for a few moments. _"I believe he's the Pirate King of Desert Seas nowadays. He knows where to find me."_

" _The_ Han Solo? But where-"

" _Tatooine."_ The man looked concerned. _"I'm sorry, I ca-"_

The man, boat and stars all disappeared instantly. She was engulfed in darkness once again.

" _ **Reyana."**_ a dark unnatural voice whispered. It chilled her to the bone.

She could not describe how, but she felt a presence with her in the darkness. She felt someone looking at her. Fear started to creep up on her as she remembered that she was the hunted one.

Her mouth was dry but felt brave enough to ask a question.

"What do you want?" she asked in a braver note that she felt.

There was a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

" _ **You."**_ the voice answered.

* * *

The girl, Rey screamed and fell to the ground with a thump.

"Whoa!" Poe leapt from his spot, to see her pale unconscious face. It happened so suddenly he wondered if she was ill, but his eyes caught Lor San Tekka's expression. He didn't look surprised, he almost looked like he expected it.

"Rey!" her friend yelled, scooping her up in his arms. His brown eyes stared fiercely at them both. "What did you do?"

"Calm down." Poe said sharply. "You don't really think we'd harm her do you?"

He felt San Tekka put a hand on his shoulder. "Keep watch, Poe."

Poe quickly went back to his original spot, looking through the crack of the cellar doors.

"Now son, you can help her by keeping her comfortable." he heard San Tekka say to the man.

"It's Finn." Poe heard the man mutter. He turned his head to see the girl unconsciously leaning against her friend.

Two storm soldiers passed by the crack of the cellar doors. It made his fingers itch for his bow. Suddenly they rushed away towards the landscape. Poe's blood went cold when he spotted a black figure in the distance, a group of storm soldiers at his side.

"Guys, we might have a problem." Poe said loudly. "Nope, definitely. We definitely have a problem."

"What is it?" Finn asked.

"There's creepy looking guy in black heading towards the village with a group of storm soldiers."

"The Emperor." San Tekka sighed wearily.

"We need to leave. _Now._ " Poe hissed at the two men.

"What about Rey?" Finn asked.

Poe was about to lightly shake her until San Tekka stopped his hand. "No. She can't be disturbed."

"She'll be dead weight, if we don't!" Poe protested.

Almost as if on cue Rey jolted awake. Tiredly she looked up at them all and muttered. "We need to leave. He knows I'm here."

"You two, follow my lead." Poe told them both, retrieving his bow _The Black One_ from his shoulder.

"Wait." San Tekka raised his hand slowly, his eyes staring into his. "Don't do anything foolish, take them out of Tuanul. Through here."

San Tekka grabbed a candle, his fingers traced the painted mural on the wall. He pressed down, it made a mechanical click. The room rumbled slightly and withdrawn. It revealed an opening.

Poe titled his head in wonder.

"Through there. The tunnel will lead you out of the village." San Tekka's voice became very croaky.

Poe grabbed a candle and moved towards the dark passageway, Rey looked at San Tekka with concern.

"What about you?" she asked.

When San Tekka didn't answer, Poe looked away.

"Don't do it old man." Poe muttered willing the tears away. "Come with us, don't give your life away."

"I'm too old, I've seen too much." San Tekka wrinkled back a smile. "I'll only hold you back."

Poe hugged him tightly, before running into the darkness with Rey and Poe.

* * *

Kylo couldn't wait to retrieve Reyana and leave the desert. He couldn't imagine how anyone, let alone a girl of nobility managed to survive out here in this wasteland of sand.

He almost sighted in relief when he managed to grasp a glimpse of Reyana's mind. It was an overwhelming feeling to share his mind with hers, even if it was just a moment.

She was a mage, her power was raw and beautiful. Like a diamond in the rough. But she was frightened and that bothered him. He sensed her fear, it made him withdraw from her.

He stepped through the village, suddenly quiet and desolate with his presence. His leather-gloved fingers traced the contract that held Reyana's name. The feeling of her presence was strong in the village.

Particularly in one hut.

"There." he gestured to his storm soldiers with his hand.

Immediately several Storm Soldiers swarmed the hut. They found an entrance to a cellar and roughly pulled the doors open.

"Sir!" one of his men called.

Kylo drifted over to the entry of the cellar, looking down he could see an old man. Reyana's presence was strong within this room, she was there recently. The elderly man looked weary and tired. He refused to look up at his Emperor.

Slowly, Kylo approached him while towering over him.

"Where is she?" Kylo's voice was low and dangerous.

The old man did not respond. The young Emperor felt a rush of anger at the man's arrogance, his eyes scanned the room. Painted murals of a worthless religion.

He pulled the old man towards him with his magic, his feet dragging against the sand.

"I will ask you again." Kylo growled. " **Where. Is. She?"**

The old coot still did not respond, frustrated Kylo clasped his hand over the man's temple and roughly pulled his memories from his mind.

He could see Reyana again in his mind. The old man gave her shelter in the cellar, along with two other men. Kylo felt particularly irritated at that.

"You won't be able to find her." the old man croaked out finally, his eye wincing in pain.

"Your arrogance will lead to your death, old man." Kylo stated coolly.

"Your dark path will lead to yours." the old man stated, his tired eyes filled with defiance. "I lived through one dark Emperor. I'm not afraid to meet my end at the hand of another."

"So you wish to be a martyr?" Kylo smiled coldly. He knew this game, they acted rebellious in the hopes of meeting a quick death at his own hand. "So be it."

He turned to the two storm soldiers with him in the cellar. "Gather the villagers, show them what happens to traitors."

The storm soldiers roughly dragged the old man away, while Kylo looked to the painted murals on the walls.

* * *

Rey suddenly felt cold. She had no idea why, but she had a feeling that Lor San Tekka was dead. All three of them were out of breath, a good distance between them and the village.

Her eyes traced Poe's pained expression. He looked devastated and knew that he realised the truth as well.

"What now?" Finn breathed.

Rey thought back to the island, the man with the silver hand and knew her answer.

"It will be dangerous, but to Tatooine."

* * *

 **A/N:** **The next chapter will have more Rey/Kylo interaction and flashbacks. I have rewritten this chapter three times, because I was trying to the scene with San Tekka interesting. The vision with Rey was going to happen much earlier and much more backstory with Obi-Wan and Anakin. But it felt too early to do yet.**

 **1\. Yes Obi-Wan's wife is Satine from the Clone Wars series. The name between Satine from that and the one from Moulin Rouge. Seemed too perfect to pass up.**

 **2\. The description of Rey being in complete darkness only to see stars was partially inspired by an Edgar Alan Poe story.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello guys! Thank you for all of your lovely reviews and favs. This week in the UK there has been a heatwave, it has been incredibly unbearable in the last couple of days. Thankfully its cooling down. I hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

It was a different dream tonight.

Normally, Rey dreamed of the island. She often saw herself sitting on the rock of the shore, watching the waves drift in and out slowly. Instead she was in a dark forest, with trees that towered over her, vaguely in the distance she could see a castle.

She felt uncomfortable but she had no idea why.

A small girl's giggle drifted through the air like wind, Rey caught the sight of a little girl sprinting through the trees. The child stopped and turned around.

Rey recognised the girl. Herself. When she was a lot younger, at least six years old. Her younger self squinted her hazel eyes looking off into the distance, before smiling and showing off her missing teeth.

" _Come on!"_ Her younger self seemed to motion someone in an encouraging way with her hand. She then scurried up a tall tree, sitting on a thick branch showing off the caked mud on the edges of her dress and her bare feet. _"Hurry up!"_

Rey heard the snapping of a twig, she turned her head to see a young boy. He was a little taller then her younger self, he seemed very unsure constantly looking around the forest. He had a mop of raven hair and pale skin.

" _I don't know about this..."_ the boy mumbled. _"Mother told us not to go near here..."_

Little her rolled her eyes at that. _"Don't be silly! How can we be be pirates if we can't climb the masts of our ship!"_ She patted the branch for emphasis.

" _Pirates?"_ the boy raised an eyebrow at that.

" _Yes."_ Her younger self said firmly as she crossed her arms. _"Pirates. Now climb up, or you won't get to be my first mate!"_

Rey smirked in amusement at her bossy nature.

The boy rolled his eyes to the sky but quickly joined her younger self up the tree. Rey then felt an icy chill against the back of her neck. She looked around her surroundings feeling the wind softly blow against her face.

Someone was here. _He_ was here.

"If you're here." Rey growled. "Get out of my head."

Rey flinched when she caught sight of the masked man in black from the corner of her eye. He stared at her, observing her. How long was he there for? She shuddered to think that he could've been watching her the entire time.

" _ **You're still afraid."**_ his deep voice muttered in observation.

Rey glared at him. "I'm being hunted down. Even in my own dreams apparently."

The voices of the children playing became silent, the only sound was the rustle of the leaves. It became unnerving when the masked man decided to say nothing, opting to stare at her as if she was a fascinating object.

"Didn't you hear me?" Rey snarled at him. "Leave!"

The man was suddenly in front of her, his masked face close to hers. _**"If you wish me to leave. Make it happen."**_

He tilted his head, his leather gloved hand to caress her cheek.

" _ **Do you wish me to stay?"**_ he asked almost silkily. He paused removing his hand. _**"Or is it because you**_ **can't** ** _force me out? Surprising."_**

Rey bristled. Even she didn't know all of what she could or couldn't do with her magic.

" _ **When we meet face to face I will show you how."**_ The masked man said softly.

"I'd rather not learn anything from a murderer." Rey stated hotly. "You killed Lor San Tekka didn't you?"

The man paused as if he had to think who she was talking about. _**"Yes."**_ he admitted.

Sadness washed over Rey when she thought back to the last encounter with San Tekka. He seemed prepared for the end, it didn't make his death any less sad or his murderer's actions any less wrong.

"Why? He was an old man, he did nothing to you!" she admonished. "Do you just delight in harming others?"

" _ **No. I don't."**_ the masked man responded softly. Strange how truthful that statement seemed to Rey.

"Then why-"

" _ **That old man refused to cooperate. He defied me and refused to tell me where you were."**_ The man replied darkly. _**"He chose his own fate."**_

Rey glared at him fiercely. It was disgusting that he could shrug off a human life like that.

"I suppose that you'll kill me then." Rey sharply said. "I won't surrender to you, I'll remain defiant until the end."

" _ **It's different with you."**_ the man softly said. _**"I'm not going to kill you."**_

Then what was it he wanted? Rey stared at his black metal mask harshly.

" _ **You don't know who I am, do you?"**_ he asked. Odd that he sounded slightly sad.

"Everyone knows the Emperor when they see him." Rey answered.

" _ **This is a memory."**_ the Emperor said referring to their surroundings. _**"Did you know that? I can sense that you don't dream of this often."**_

"Get out of my head." Rey snarled again. "My dreams are my own."

The emperor stared at her for a few moments. _**"As you wish. Travel safely Reyana. The desert is a dangerous place."**_

"Better in the desert than in your clutches." Rey hissed quietly.

" _ **There isn't a place in this world where you can hide from me."**_ It was more disturbing to Rey, that he had said this in an almost gentle tone. _**"I will see you soon."**_

* * *

Rey jolted awake. Her back was slumped against a wiry tree, the moonlight glimmered against the water of the tiny oasis the trio found. For a few moments she appreciated the cool wind that breezed across her face.`The small camp fire had an orange glow, the smell of roasted food was strong.

"Good, you're awake." Poe shot her grin. "Dinner is just about ready."

Her stomach grumbled. She had forgotten when it was the last time she had eaten. Poe delicately removed one of the spits revealing a thoroughly roasted desert hare. He tore off one of its legs and passed it to Rey.

"Thank you." Rey quietly mumbled. "Are we close to Tatooine?"

"Not too far." Poe answered before having a mouthful of food. "We should be there tomorrow evening."

"Were you having a vision?" Finn asked Rey.

"I had odd dreams." Rey admitted.

"Mages never simply dream. San Tekka." Poe's voice notably cracked when he mentioned his name. "Once said that a mage's subconscious is tied to the past, future and present."

 _'Another I didn't know. Great.'_ Rey bitterly thought to herself as she ate her food. Her eyes scanning the desert landscape.

"If we have time, we should hit Chalum's Cantina. The drinks they sell knock you off your feet. You guys ever tried Bandit's Punch?"

Finn and Rey exchanged a confused look. Poe looked a little shocked in turn.

"Okay we definitely need to head to a bar!" Poe shot them both a grin. "Bandit's Punch is brown and kinda smells like sludge."

"That sounds disgusting." Rey muttered bluntly.

Poe chuckled. "Its the effect of it that's important! You guys seriously never drank alcohol?"

"I couldn't really afford it, most of the time." Rey answered honestly.

"I've tried mead before." Finn said. "With the...people I travelled with before."

Poe poked the fire with his stick. "And who did you travel with?"

"...A group of men for hire. We often went from city to city." Finn answered.

Rey looked at Finn who avoided her gaze. That was a lie, judging by Poe's reaction who stared at Finn intently he knew it was a lie too. But why? He didn't intend to harm either of them, this she was certain. Before she could say anything however, another voice broke through the cool air.

"Excuse me?"

The trio cast their eyes on a lone short man, dressed in a black cloak, his ruby eyes staring at them all. Where did he come from? Rey was certain no one was there before. Was he a mage?

"Are you three alone?" was the first alarming question the man asked in his raspy voice.

"Our hunters are further ahead." Poe lied smoothly. "We are of a group of twenty, what do you want?"

The man's ruby eyes seemed to observe each of them with delicacy. "My wagon has broken down, I was hoping that you would help me."

Rey caught Finn's gaze, he looked at her for confirmation. She shook her head. This man was a liar.

The man approached them closer until he loomed near their camp fire, his eyes creepily boring into Rey. She noticed now that he was an elf, a Twi'lek elf specifically. Twi'leks always had protruding pointed ears and long hair drafted into braids, their skin sometimes an unusual colour. He had a flame like tattoo marked against his pale skin.

"How old are you?" the man revealed white shiny teeth as he attempted to smile sweetly, tilting his head slightly

Rey quickly grabbed the dagger used to skin the hares, still marred with blood and held it up defensively.

" **Back** off." she snarled at him.

Poe's eyes glared at the man, while he steadily held a grip of an arrow with his bow. "You heard her."

"How unkind. What a pity." the man breathed unaffected but did not come closer.

The sound of a twig snapping grabbed Rey's attention. From the corner of her eye she saw several other figures emerging from the shadows of the greenery of the oasis. The moonlight caught the glint of the steel of their swords, all drawn.

Rey seriously wanted to cut them all down. But even she realised that was a death wish.

"You three are now property to Rotta the Hutt." the elf clearly spoke as each of them was grabbed and forced onto their feet. His attention turned to his men. "Have them assessed ready for sale."

* * *

Finn kept glancing to the side to try and get a glimpse of Rey. The overseers with their flame-like marks tattooed on their face, ripped the struggling Rey away from them. Both he and Poe had their shirts removed and forced into a line. Ready to be inspected. He hoped that Rey was being treated better. Though he doubted it.

"It's going to be fine Finn." Poe whispered softly to Finn.

An overseer slowly walking by frowned and belted Poe across the face. "No talking!"

It took all of Finn's willpower not to lash out in fury. But he knew it would be worse if he fought back for now, so much worse.

A large pink mark formed on his face, it earned a heated glare from Poe. The overseer bristled at his mark of defiance and raised his hand to smack him again.

"Enough." a crimson skinned elf ordered the overseer. He inspected the slave next to Finn, using the burning candle on his wooden clipboard for light. He murmured to himself. "Labour." Jotting it down on his parchment with his quill.

He felt increasingly uncomfortable as the crimson elf turned his attention to him. The elf asked him to hold out his arms. He obeyed hesitantly.

"What's this?" the elf asked annoyed, his bony fingers gripping hard against his wrist. The elf's cold eyes glared at the overseer. "You've brought me a runaway we can't sell him!"

The overseer looked over to see, the elf's little candle illuminated the mark that Finn earned years ago, it looked like a dark bursting sun. The overseer grinned nastily when he realised what the symbol was.

"That ain't just any slave mark, that's the mark of The First Order." He jabbed a finger on the mark. "Looks like we caught ourselves a dirty deserter."

Finn closed his eyes, shame filled him. He didn't want anyone to know, let alone Poe and Rey.

"A deserter, then." the elf muttered to himself quickly inking out a spot on his parchment.

Finn stared at the night surroundings, looking at anything except Poe.

"We'll surrender him to the Storm Soldiers in Tatooine." the elf stated firmly to the Overseer as he quickly inked out a spot on his parchment.

The Storm Soldiers. He'd rather not face their wrath, he'd rather not meet _her_ again. Ever. He could still feel Poe's gaze at the back of his neck, even when the elf inspected and muttered. "Fighter."

* * *

Rey breathed. She was in the forest again. Fear prickled against the back of her neck. The greenery of the forest once a bright jade had turned a drab dull green.

She could see her younger self looking concerned at her friend who was quietly sobbing against the tree.

" _What's wrong?"_ The younger version of Rey's voice was notably quieter. _"Is it because I made you First Mate again? I'm sorry, I'll let you be captain next time!"_

The boy looked up, his face flushed with tears. _"That's not the problem."_

" _Then what is it?"_ Her younger self gently put a hand on his shoulder.

The boy looked hesitant. _"At night...do you hear...voices?"_

Her younger self tilted her head. _"Voices?"_

" _I hear someone to me in the dark. He tells me things...things about my family. What I'll become one day."_ Tears spilled down his cheeks. _"I'm afraid."_

He didn't say of what, Rey noted. But she looked at him sympathetically.

" _No. No. Don't be frightened!"_ Younger Rey soothed the best she could, hugging the poor boy. _"I'll help! If a monster comes for you, I'll fight it with you!"_

" _Some monsters can't be fought."_ the boy mumbled into her brown hair.

Rey opened her eyes, a blue skinned elf stared at her with azure eyes. "Hey, you okay there? You looked down for the count there. The overseers are a little slap happy here."

She sat up. Rey was in a suffocatingly hot metal cage, that jolted and moved with a carriage. The desert sun blazed through the bars. The entire space was filled up with women. All either looked miserable or stoic. She glanced at the silver collar that was around the blue elf's neck. A ruby gem in the middle of it.

Her mouth was dry. "Where are we going?"

The elf fiddled with her pale blue braided hair as she answered. "We're heading to a market on the outskirts of Tatooine. Crappy place." Her eyes looked briefly sad as she continued. "You'll be sold there."

Rey knew it was wrong, but she quickly hated being in the cage. In the others presence. She felt her heart race, her mind raced as she heard the thoughts or memories of each captured woman. Each was like seeing a reflection of a broken mirror shard and each stabbed into her mind.

" _Don't make a sound."_

" _Slaves can't say no..."_

" _Legs stuck...I shouldn't be here."_

" _Running short of pleasure slaves."_

Bile wormed its way up Rey's throat. "How? I was sure that no one was there."

"Near the oasis?" the elf almost said casually as she leaned against the cage. "Overseers use a gem to teleport, elven magic."

Tears pricked Rey's eyes. "How did you know it was the oasis?"

"Where there's water there's life." the elf answered softly. "It's always a guarantee that there'd be some travellers near a water source."

Rey's fingers laced with the bars, the metal was burning hot from the desert sun. The orange sandy hills taunting her from the other side. She felt...something. There was something natural flowing within the metal of the cage. It was a similar feeling to when she healed, it was like mentally reaching out and grasping energy. But she was too afraid to grasp it properly.

She didn't notice the cart stopping. A leering overseer reached out to clutch the metal lock ready to unlock before whipping his hand back in pain.

" **Fuck!** " the overseer screeched in agony. Another overseer looked at him confused. "The lock is fucking scolding!"

The other overseer confirmed this to be true with a finger. A crimson Twi'lek elf with a clipboard and inkwell stormed over. "What are you doing?! We're selling the pleasure slaves first!"

Rey resisted the urge to hyperventilate.

"But master, the lock is too hot to touch!" the overseer at the side muttered.

"Then break it open!" the elf snarled angrily.

No, no. Rey wasn't going to allow this. She wasn't going to be bought and sold like an animal. As the men clumsily tried to break the lock she could see through the bars another cage on a carriage, filled with male slaves. A small slave market this seemed. She could see the sun glaring harshly at the dusty wooden stage, where they would be ready to be sold and bartered.

The overseers manage to tear open the lock using a large stone, the pace in Rey's heart picked up as they herded out the females ready to be displayed on the stage.

She didn't have much time and that was what she desperately needed. She glanced at the overseer nursing his scolded hand. Rey shuffled forward towards him and kicked him lightly in the knee.

The overseer snarled and cracked his knuckles squarely against her face, the impact was so hard it knocked Rey off her feet. Blood oozed down her nose.

"What are you doing?!" the crimson elf roared marching over towards Rey, he quickly inspected her bloodied face, failing to wipe the mess off with his bony fingers. "We can't sell her now! The customers will think she's more trouble than she's worth! Ce'na!"

The blue elf with the silver collar rushed to the man's aid. "Yes master?"

"Tend to her, we'll have to sell her further in the city." the crimson elf ordered.

"Yes master." the blue elf answered, gently picking up Rey and taking her to the empty cage.

* * *

"Bastard!" Poe snarled through the bars, seeing the overseer knock Rey off her feet. There was little he could do right now, but he was damn sure he would find a way. He just needed an overseer to be close enough...

He turned to see Finn staring at nothing, he was slumped on the ground, hugging his knees. Poe sighed and sat next to him.

"So what's your story? The truth this time." Poe asked gently.

"...I was sold as a slave at four years old. I was bought by First Order to train as a solider." It looked unbearably painful to admit for Finn. "...I was put through several trials to check if I was worthy to be a storm soldier. I completed them with a friend." His eyes became softer. "My first mission, I was asked to kill a group of villagers who followed The Church of Light…I couldn't do it. My friend took the punishment for me. He died that night."

Poe put a hand on Finn's shoulder. "I managed to escape. I travelled with a group of merchants until Jakku."

The trials that Finn mentioned must've been particularly nasty. Poe had heard one horror story of a trial that the storm soldiers go through of being allowed to choose a pet at a young age, then after a year or so caring for that pet. They go in front of their superiors and prove their loyalty to their cause by slaughtering it.

He didn't know if this was true or not, but was also told that this was one of their first trails, their later ones were much harder. He shuddered to think what they were.

"You must think I'm a monster, now."

"Why? You stood by your values and left them." Poe softly said. "You're not a monster."

Finn looked up at him surprised. Poe continued.

"You had an opportunity to betray us in Tuanul, you ran with us. You could've just let Rey be caught by storm soldiers earlier but you didn't. If you're our enemy, you're doing a bad job."

Finn chuckled despite himself. It slipped away, he glanced at Rey's direction. "What would she say?"

"I think she already knows you're not telling her something." Poe admitted honestly. "You aren't a very good liar."

The former storm soldier smiled slightly, only turning his head when the crowd started to fill the square.

* * *

The blue elf, Ce'na dabbed a cloth against Rey's nose. Trying and failing to stop the blood flow.

Rey didn't heal, she regretted that spell was the only one she knew. She wished she could know how to unleash fire at will but never experimented with her magic. If anyone saw her use magic back home it was almost a guarantee for a lynch mob.

"You did that on purpose didn't you?" Ce'na asked casually, she smiled slightly when Rey barely contained her smirk. "I get it. My mother used to do that with my sister. It's easier to be male. Especially when you're a slave."

A female was dragged to the center of the stage by her arm, the seller yelled her attributes at the crowd. Rey glanced away when he ripped off the poor woman's clothes to show her off.

Ce'na didn't look either but stared at Rey. "I'm giving you fair warning but it gets worse further in city. Some displays are more...explicit."

A chill ran through her.

"I won't be here then." Rey quietly said.

Ce'na raised a pale eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? What do you plan to do?"

Rey was quiet for a few moments. "To find The Pirate King, Han Solo."

" _The_ Han Solo?" Ce'na whispered, her azure eyes lighting up. "I've heard about him. Saw him once."

A smile appeared on Rey's lips. "What did he look like?"

"He's grown quite old." Ce'na admitted. "Didn't think he'd linger around Tatooine. He owes Rotta money."

The sound of silence caught Rey's attention, she felt incredibly cold when she saw _him._ The emperor in his ghoulish black robes slowly moved through the crowd, his silver storm soldiers following him in a line.

 _Please don't notice, please don't…_

The masked man snapped his head in her direction. He summoned the crimson Twi'lek with a gesture of his hand, she couldn't hear what was said but the elf looked like he was about to urinate himself.

Was he...buying her?

Ce'na nudged her to stand up. She did slightly reluctant. The Emperor stalked over to the cage that Rey was in, he didn't say anything but reached out a leather gloved hand and wiped the blood on her face slightly.

" **Which one of you did this?** " he hissed, his voice quiet but Rey could feel the rage bubbling underneath the exterior.

The crimson Twi'lek shoved the overseer that struck her forward. Shaking in his boots, the overseer approached the Emperor.

"Which hand?" The Emperor asked barely containing his fury.

Shaking the overseer raised his left hand, the emperor raised his leather gloved hand. "Please my lord have merc-"

The man preceded to howl in agony, sickening cracks resonated as it sounded like each individual bone was snapped. It looked like it was so as the overseer clutched his hand, blood seeping through the fingernails.

Rey felt sick, she backed away to the edge of the cage. She heard a voice in her head.

" _ **It's alright, Reyana. I'm here now."**_

* * *

 **The situation with the storm soliders are partially inspired by the Unsullied from Game of Thrones and a little from Zevran in Dragon Age. Speaking of games, people who are gamers might catch on to who Ce'na is.**

 **Please tell me what you guys think. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi there! Thank you for the reviews and I hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

Rey was completely still, as if she was frozen into place. She stared at the ghoulish black metal mask the emperor wore, he stared back. His eyes never once left hers. Her heart rapidly beating inside her chest. Inwardly she cursed the slavers and their vile trade, she would've escaped had it not been…

He shook his head slightly disagreeing with that thought. Anger flushed through her.

Ce'na shifted slightly to the edge of the cage, her cool azure eyes looked at her in pity.

"Open the cage." the Emperor Kylo commanded the blue Twi'lek.

The elf shot her a look of remorse before creaking the metal door open. Rey saw the crowd being completely silent, all observing what their ruler was doing. They stared at her as well. She could see the overseer with the now broken hand slowly making his way back to the caged slaves. The Emperor held out a gloved hand, waiting for her to take it.

She didn't want to. Not at all. Being owned, having freedom stripped away was a hellish concept to her.

Rey could still feel it, the energy surrounding everything. It was getting more clearer as the more frightened she became.

The Emperor simply took her hand and got her to step out of the cage. Her heart started to hammer away faster. Each of the storm soldiers saluted as they walked past. Rey hated them, hated the masters and overseers too. The masters would gladly allow a person to be sold and bartered like a horse if it benefited them. The storm soldiers gave no expression, they didn't seem to care for their fellow man either.

Time was running out and her options were dwindling. She wanted to ask for Finn and Poe. But couldn't bare the thought of them being captured either. Rey had an idea, but never attempted it before.

* * *

Poe's eyes watched the overseer as he walked over to the cages nursing his broken hand, whimpering to himself like a wounded child. On his belt he could see the golden handle of his dagger. A grin broke out on Poe's face.

The overseer stupidly leant against the cage, his eyes didn't look behind him once rather his eyes were focused on the emperor. Swiftly Poe swiped the man's dagger and quickly pressed the blade against the overseer's throat. He was thankful the man's hand was injured, otherwise he would've caught him.

"Keys."

"I-I don't have them!" the overseer hissed out through clenched teeth.

"Then that fancy looking gem you've got. The one you use to teleport. Give it." he muttered in the overseer's ear.

"I-" Poe pressed the blade harder against the man's skin. A bead of blood appearing above the dagger.

"I want you to think _very_ carefully. Is it worth dying for?" He asked sternly.

The overseer paled and quickly fished for the gem inside his pocket with his good hand. Clumsily handing the young man the pale blue gem. As soon as Poe lifted the cold blade from his neck the wounded overseer hobbled away into the crowd.

Poe could see mist swirl inside the blue of the gem, he briefly wondered how it would work. He grabbed Finn's shoulder and thought to being outside in the square. Like a crack of lightening they appeared behind the crowd.

Finn grinned slightly when he realised what happened. "Well that's one thing down."

The sight of Rey looking incredibly uncomfortable in the Emperor's grip made Poe frown. "Now there's another thing to do."

* * *

The Emperor wasn't taking no for an answer as he gently but firmly gripped her hand and lead her away. She could see his sleek carriage in the distance. Rey couldn't ignore the hammering of her heart or the fear clutching around her being.

She couldn't ignore the sign of energy surrounding everything, embedding themselves in her senses when she was so desperate. All she had to do was mentally tug at it. Like tugging a stray thread.

The tips of her fingers glowed a slight white.

The Emperor snapped his head at her direction. "Reyana, what are you doing?!"

Rey glared at him defiantly focusing on her magic. A bright light in the corner of her eye grabbed her attention, she whipped around and looked on in horror.

Hissing fiery flames had completely engulfed the wooden stage, the masters, the overseers and slaves that were once on it jumped off but were still caught. She could hear howling screams and whimpers. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she realised along with the crowd that the blaze was _spreading,_ feeding on nearby straw and fabrics turning into a wild inferno.

The people of the crowd became a swarm of wild anarchy, the customers fled the market along with several of the slave women about to be bartered. The overseers were between frantically trying to rid the flames and catch the escaping slaves.

Her eyes caught the awful sight of the fire spreading dangerously close to the cage of male slaves. The slaves screamed and rattled the bars of the cage trying to escape. Without a second thought Rey sprinted forward towards them. She ignored the Emperor shouting after her and got lost in the crowd of people.

Finn lost the sight of Poe when the stage got set ablaze and the crowd became a panicked swarm. His heart thudded against his chest as he felt the heat of the inferno against his skin.

He no longer felt like he was in the slave market when the thick black smoke covered the sky, he felt like he was back at the village. The echoes of screams of terror cemented this.

Finn could almost hear Phasma's voice. Cold and sharp. _"Fire."_

His fingers twitched as he staggered forward to find Poe or Rey, tears dropping his face. His feet reached an overseer severely wounded groaning clutching his side. Finn's head hurt, the sand seemed to be filled with bodies slumped against the ground for a second but he knew this wasn't truth.

" _Who didn't attack?"_ the voice of Phasma was clear, laced with anger and disappointment.

Finn stared in the fiery horizon, his body still and blood cold from the memories flooding in. He remembered when Slip glanced at him, the silver helmet masking all expression. Without a second thought he stepped forward, saluting Phasma.

" _It was me."_ Slip's voice was firm, absent of fear.

She was rigid, the reflection of flames danced in her sleek armour. Phasma stepped up close, towering over Slip she reached out and clasped his shoulder with her hand.

" _I forgive you."_ Phasma quietly said.

Slip audibly let out a sigh of relief before the knife flashed out and sliced his throat opened. He gurgled out as he slumped to his knees, hand clutched over the wound before falling face down on the sand.

" _Dismissed."_ Phasma coldly told them as she stalked away.

Finn quickly shot to hold Slip turning him on his back, a pool of blood soaked into the sand pouring out of his throat. Slip uneasily lifted his dripping red hand to touch Finn's helmet, where his cheek would be before it lifelessly thudded against the sand.

It was a cruel fate for a good man. Not only to die for another but to be killed by the person he admired. Slip was the one that told Finn Phasma's story. How she started out as a slave like them, how she fought her way into becoming one of the most influential members of the empire.

Finn remembered how he felt the weight of Slip's death, that he decided to talk to his captain.

" _I need to confess."_ he muttered his back straight feeling her cold gaze. _"I was the one who didn't attack."_

She stared at him for a few moments. _"I know."_

He looked at her in shock. _"...Then why?"_

Phasma stood up, she looked at the mirror behind her. _"Do you not understand why you were trained so harshly? A storm soldiers best attribute is both their loyalty and their_ _ **survival instinct**_ _. FN-2003 was loyal to a fault. He took the blame for another."_

Finn could only stare at her feeling frozen. She turned to look at him. _"Many of your brothers and sisters will die FN-2187. You will see this in your battles to come for your Emperor."_

He realised something at that moment. There was only one person he feared. Her. Her and her callous disregard of her men's lives. He couldn't bear being under her thumb for a moment longer.

Finn looked up past through the flames and saw familiar sleek silver armour. He blinked thinking he was hallucinating until he heard her cool voice callously state.

"FN-2187..."

The mark on his arm burned.

* * *

Rey didn't stop to hesitate seeing the men about to be swallowed by flames, trapped by their metal cage. Focusing on the energy around the metal she reached out and her hands glowed once more.

With a screech the metal bended and managed to tear an opening for the prisoners, they wasted no time to flee only a couple sending a few grateful glances her way. When she saw Ce'na looking unsure of herself in the crowd, she focused on her collar and it slipped off of the elf's neck.

Frightened azure eyes caught hers.

 _'Be free.'_ Rey mouthed to her, hoping the elf would run.

A leather gloved head spun her around and she looked up at the metal mask of the emperor once more.

" **Reyana."** he sounded furious as he held onto her wrist. "Don't run again."

The Emperor held out his other hand and they glowed a ruby red. Ice formed over the flames freezing them into place. Instantly the screams died down turning into stunned silence. He began to drag her away to the carriage again, prompting a struggle once more.

The storm soldiers made a slight barrier between the Emperor and Rey and the crowd.

"Let go!" she hissed.

" _ **I'm saving your life."**_ he tensely said inside her mind. _**"Didn't you realise what happens when a mage foolishly tries to use magic without focus?"**_

Rey remained stubbornly silent. It was all the answer he needed apparently.

" _ **You've seriously been repressing your magic for this long?"**_ He seemed to mutter this with slight pity. Rey hated that. _**"You need a teacher."**_

"Just being honest here pal, she doesn't seem that into you." the voice of Poe was music to Rey's ears. She felt an arm wrap around her waist, Poe leaned over her to slash at the Emperor's tight grip.

With a pained hiss her wrist was free. One of the last things she saw was the dark silhouette of the Emperor gripping his hand before she vanished.

* * *

Flames danced in the sleek armour in a fashion eerily similar to that dreadful night. Why wasn't she calling the storm soldiers?

He stepped back to gain more distance than they had.

"FN-2187." Her voice was as cold and sharp as a blade. "Surrender and I will grant you mercy."

Finn growled slightly before stepping back. "I've seen your kind of mercy."

Captain Phasma silently unsheathed one of her swords on her belt. She gently threw it forward and let it dully land on the sand nearer to him. "Then fight me, warrior."

"No." Finn firmly said, stepping away. Never again would he raise a weapon to harm another, this was the promise he made to himself when he left the storm soldiers.

She unsheathed her other sword slowly, as if giving him warning. He stepped away quickly, almost panicked.

"You shouldn't deny your true nature." Her voice was oddly soothing. "This is who you are, you are a warrior. Its in your blood to fight and kill."

She held her sword up in its fighters pose, her eyes trained on him.

"No!" Finn hissed at out sounding like a wounded animal. "You're wrong."

His foot knocked against a dagger laying on the ground. Swiftly he picked it up, weakly holding it up in defence. In essence it was about as useful as a fork in a fight against her. Captain Phasma knew this too.

"Your skill of survival has been tested." she coldly said. "Remember your training."

His heart pounded uncomfortably against his chest, his hand shaking as he remembered the blood caked against his hand. He could still see the bodies of his former brothers in the ring laying against the ring, their blood spilling. _'Me or them.'_ was the words echoing in his brain. He was only a child then.

"I don't want to survive." he firmly said his eye glaring hotly at his former commander. "I want to _live._ "

"Finn!" a voice distantly said. He felt an arm wrapping around him.

His eyes saw the flames surrounding his former captain, feeling the stare she gave him. And then he was elsewhere.

* * *

Kylo Ren was livid. He tired of this cat and mouse game that his beloved seemed intent on playing. Yet there was another emotion he felt as he stalked past the overseers trying to make some order from the chaos caused by Reyana.

" _ **You pity her."**_ his master stated in his head.

" _Yes."_ he admitted. _"She has such...raw power. Such strong emotions tied to it. Yet its all without direction."_

" _ **Much like yourself in the beginning."**_ his master's voice was soft. _**"She will benefit greatly on the dark path."**_

" _She doesn't remember me."_ Kylo found himself pitifully admitting, as he stared at the ripped off cage that was once burnt.

" _ **Ben is dead. Would it matter so if she did?"**_ His master asked pointedly.

" _The emotions attached matter."_ Kylo admitted. _"A woman shouldn't fear or hate their betrothed."_

" _ **It**_ **is** _ **unusual that she has no memories at all of Ben.**_ " His master coincided. _**"Or her family. Almost as if they were tampered with."**_

" _Who? Why would do that?"_ Kylo asked.

" _ **Why indeed."**_ His master breathed softly. _**"Perhaps a change of tactics is in order."**_

Kylo could see Captain Phasma striding stiffly towards him, she kneeled in front of him her head bowed. "Sir. I must confess." she admitted firmly.

He could already tell that he wasn't going to like what she had to say.

"One of my men. FN-2187. He's one of the men with your betrothed."

He glared at her. "So I can't even trust my own men?!"

"He is an anomaly. My failure. Punish me how you wish." her head bowed lower. Clearly it was a blow that one of her own men was essentially rebelling against him. This unusual behaviour for her. Thoughts of him slaying her drifted from her mind.

"You're less useful to me dead Phasma. Rise." He firmly said to her. She straightened up and he almost sighed.

He couldn't imagine how this day would get any worse.

"My lord." he heard a familiar voice. His eyes drifted and noticed an incredibly fat man waddling towards him, a slave fanning him with a palm leaf. The crimson elf with the clipboard frantically scribbling with his quill.

"Rotta." Kylo grimly muttered.

He really despised the Hutts. They showed off their wealth by becoming morbidly obese, to show that they can afford to spend the coin on so much food. Their family was so incestuous that their blood was rumoured to be green. Yet they knew their place. Except Rotta.

People like him made it important for Reyana to be under his protection. If he found out her ties to the royal family, he would no doubt use it to his advantage.

Rotta's tiny eyes seemed to measure his emperor. A slimy grin laced on his large face. "What an honour, that the Emperor would grace my market."

" _Damn. Whoreson."_ was the fat man's thoughts.

Kylo coolly stared at him.

"I was surprised that you of all people were looking to purchase a slave. Which my scribe here." he motioned to the crimson elf next to him. "Tells me that he graciously gave you for free. And that same slave did _this."_ Rotta's voice edged slightly looking at his wrecked market stall. "a hundred and _fifty_ slaves have fled. My stock is ruined I-"

"Are you wishing to be reimbursed?" Kylo coldly cut him off.

"I-"

"For what exactly? For your illegal practise of catching travellers off the road?" Kylo grinned slightly. "Is your business failing so spectacularly that you have to resort to such measures?"

Rotta bristled. "It _has_ been harder times with your recent decrees my lord."

"Pity. Your father was a far better business man." Kylo smirked knowing he was hitting a sore point.

Rotta didn't even try to hide the glare he gave to his ruler. "He was. Too bad he was killed by a-" He caught himself.

"A what Rotta?" Kylo stepped closer until he towered over the obese man and echoed his thoughts. "A **whore**?"

The man looked like he wanted to urinate in fear. He continued.

"Strangled by the very chain that leashed her correct?" He twisted the metaphorical knife further. "My mother did have her moments."

Rotta looked like he wanted to punch him, but Kylo gripped his practically non-existent neck with his magic. He let out a disgusting choking noise that sounded like a frog's croak.

"You're _very_ lucky that the girl was not sold to anyone else." Kylo's voice dropped dangerously low. "Because if you had. **I would've burned the market down and personally snapped each one of your overseer's neck.** "

Rotta croaked out some more.

"Don't push me fat one. I won't hesitate."

A single thought broke through the tension. _"Geez. No wonder she ran."_

His head snapped in the direction of that thought, a blue elf flinched when she saw him looking her way.

"Ce'na!" the crimson elf admonished the blue one. "There you are you lazy girl! Where is your collar?!"

"You." Kylo pointed out to the girl, losing interest. "You were with Reyana."

The crimson elf saw this as an opportunity to drag the blue slave forward towards him. His small cane his snapped harshly against the leg of her azure skin. "Tell him what you know girl." The scribe growled out.

The girl stared up at him, not defiance but pure fear ran through her. All she could do his was quake under his gaze slightly.

The crimson elf lifted the cane to smack the girl again, Kylo promptly snapped it like a twig with his magic. He placed a leather gloved hand against the temple of the elf's blue skin.

She clenched her eyes shut as memories leaked out of her mind. He flicked through them like pages in a book.

" _Hey, you okay there? You looked down for the count there. The overseers are a little slap happy here."_

" _Where there's water there's life."_

" _It's easier to be male. Especially when you're a slave."_

"The _Han Solo?"_

"...Reyana's…looking for Solo?" he slowly asked.

The blue elf gave a small frightened nod. "S-She's trying to find him in Tatooine..."

Kylo smiled. "You've done a great service for the empire." His mind drifted to the memory he saw of Reyana mouthing the words: _'Be free.'_ to the elf.

"Will you hold out your hand?" he asked.

She held out her hand shaking, clearly thinking back to the overseer's hand he crushed. He held her hand gently, her ugly slave mark that crudely decorated her wrist slowly faded away.

"You belong to no one else but your emperor." he muttered. "You're free now. Take this chance now."

The blue elf blinked back grateful tears. "W-Where will I go?"

"I care not. It's up to you." Kylo shrugged. "You could change your name if you wanted to."

He turned to Phasma as she stood to attention. "I think we need to talk about changing our tactics."

* * *

Rey felt the cold air of the sea blow against her skin. Tatooine was a dirty looking city, filled with unsavoury looking characters but it made the glittering sapphire coloured ocean behind it all the more beautiful.

Filled with gratefulness she hugged Poe. Without him figuring out how the gen worked, they'd still be in the slave market.

"Now to find Solo."

* * *

 **A/N: I was briefly considering changing the story in this chapter but decided to stick to how I originally planned it.**

 **PS: The music I was listening to when writing the first part of the chapter was "Light of the Seven" from Game of Thrones and "Lets Kill Some Crows." For the fight between Finn and Phasma.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hello there guys! Thank you again for your lovely reviews and favs. Seriously they absolutely make my day. I hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

Han awoke his face slumped against the polished wooden table. A wave of nausea washed through his being, the smell of the good brandy still strong. Blearily he eyed up the bottle to see if there was a drop left. He grumbled slightly noting there was nothing. He winced slightly when his First Mate slammed open the door, making his headache pound even more.

"Maker." Chewie grumbled covering his nose with his large hand. "It smells like you set a brewery on fire."

He shot his old friend a dirty look before massaging his temple with his fingertips. Chewie looked unimpressed as he dragged back the curtains that were covering up the bright sun. Han winced again, the brightness seeping through made the self-induced headache throb.

"We're drawing close to Tatooine. I've informed the crew we'll be taking shore leave." Chewie informed him his blue eyes staring at his empty brandy bottle disapprovingly.

"Good." Han mumbled in a tired fashion. "What did the crew say?"

Chewie chuckled deeply. "They think you've lost your mind. With Rotta wanting our heads and all."

Han rolled his eyes. "Figured they'd enjoy themselves on land for a while."

"The last time we were in Tatooine," Chewie started to explain his eyes staring at the ocean. "Jabba the Hutt had us walking the plank ready for the sarlaac to eat us."

A bitter laugh left Han's lips. "Artoo said the fat bastard was serving drinks in celebration of our death."

Chewie was silent for a few seconds, crossing his hairy arms looking deep in a contemplation for a few moments. "Do you think he wants us to meet... _her_?"

 _Her._ His friend decided not to mention his wife's name, to which he appreciated. Even now her name was painful to say, he didn't want to admit to his friend that he missed her terribly. But he was sure Chewie already knew.

"I highly doubt he's trying to play matchmaker." Han muttered, his hand subconsciously touched the shiny golden ring around his finger. The seal of Naboo printed on the top.

 _Han, go to Tatooine. An old friend needs your help._ Was what was said in his dreams days ago. The identity of the old friend was a mystery to him. Yet he had no reason to distrust this instruction.

"The new girl thinks you've hit your head too hard from the last binge." Chewie informed him inspecting the bottle for a few seconds.

"Yeah, look I don't need to explain myself to anyone. If they don't trust me, they are more than welcome to leave." Han glared hotly at his old friend.

"Look friend." Chewie sighed. "You've locked yourself in here, drinking yourself to oblivion for _days_. Can you blame them for thinking you've lost it a bit?"

"I've lost a lot." Han mumbled bitterly. "My family." He raised his eyebrows. "An entire **country** , my crew, my s-"

" **ENOUGH!** " Chewie suddenly roared smashing the glass on his desk against the wall. Han shot up in surprise, his friend glared at him slightly. Two large hands gripped against his shoulders. "Enough self pity! You are the Pirate King not an old drunk! If I have to throw you overboard to sober you up I **will**."

Blue eyes glared at him with fierce intensity, brown ones staring back. Han placed his wrinkled hands upon Chewie's hairy ones. "All right, all right. Easy there. I'll sober up, okay."

Chewie's eyes stared at him ferociously as he slowly retracted his hands off of Han's shoulders. His warning still hanging in the air.

"Remind me to order you milk next time we're in a bar." Han muttered grumpily as he straightened up his brown coat.

Chewie shot him a look of irritation. "Stay here until you're sober, I'll get the doc to send something up for your head."

"What could I ever do without you?" Han said eyeing up the glinting shards of glass on the floor.

* * *

"I have already made arrangements." Kylo told Phasma as they walked side by side towards Tatooine. His eyes watching the raven carrying the message flying far into the horizon.

"The girl is looking for Solo." Phasma stated to herself. "The question is why."

"Why indeed." Kylo grimly said. "She enjoyed hearing far-fetched tales of Solo. Perhaps she wishes to join his crew, it matters not."

In truth it **did** matter. Why was she looking for that old fool? What could she possibly hope to accomplish with that?

Phasma turned her head to look behind her. The sun glinted harshly on her silver helmet. Kylo glanced to see what she was staring at and saw the azure elf quietly following the line of storm soldiers. The former slave looked unsure of herself. He could tell that his captain was displeased about something.

"She's been following us since the slave market." Phasma stated clearly, now staring straight ahead.

The memory of the elf drifted into the young emperor's mind. Reyana her hand outstretched, she mouthed the words _'Be free."_ His betrothed for whatever reason wanted the elf's freedom. The elf did not run however and soon rooted herself back into her routine until Kylo removed the slave mark from her.

"She did not run." the emperor coolly said. "Not at her first opportunity."

"Unsurprising, sir." Phasma stated clearly. "The chains of a slave are invisible, they tug on them even after the supposed freedom."

Kylo looked at his captain, studying her mind. The sun making her silver armour glint brightly. She tried to keep it hidden but Phasma disapproved of his action of freeing the slave.

"You think I was wrong to free her." Kylo stated. His eyes burned into Phasma as if daring her to say he was wrong.

Phasma did not look at him. "Some people are born to serve. Even if they deny it themselves. They do not truly thirst for freedom but for order. For security." Experience was laced with each word. For a moment Kylo was curious about her history as a slave. But that was not important at the current time.

"It is not your place to question my actions." Kylo firmly stated. He freed the slave because it would make Reyana happier, he will not explain this to his men.

Phasma dipped her head slightly in an apologetic fashion. "You are my emperor, you are never wrong."

"Make sure you remember that." he stated clearly.

* * *

Finn traced his thumb over his slave mark. His mind kept replaying how close he met his end at the hands of his former master. He was far too close to death and never wanted to meet Phasma again. His dark eyes watched the glimmering blue ocean, ships bobbing up and down in the water.

"Finn?" the gentle voice of Rey asked. She approached him, her hazel eyes stared at him with concern. Poe lingered from afar watching the two. Clearly wanting the two to talk.

"Look Rey," Finn muttered his eyes not meeting hers. "I have to confess something."

He revealed his mark to her, she frowned studying his marking. "I am— _was_ a storm soldier." he muttered. "I left them shortly before I met you in Jakku."

"Finn..."

"I never wanted to raise a weapon again, I wanted to explore the world and be free." he confessed, sadly.

"It doesn't matter." Rey firmly said her hand gently covering up the mark. "You could've left me at Jakku and again in Tuanul. But you didn't."

"You don't understand." he muttered. "I came far too close to my end."

"What are you saying?" Rey asked frowning again.

"I..." he carefully wanted to choose his words. "I think we need to part ways."

Rey looked shocked, Poe seemed unpleasantly surprised as well. Finn couldn't back out of this now, the thoughts of his last fight weighed heavily on his mind, he'd be useless to them.

"I'm never going to let them have me again." he stated firmly. "They won't hesitate next time. I'm going to board a boat and leave."

"You don't have to!" Rey exclaimed. "We would never let them harm you."

Finn stared at her sadly. "Your destiny is set out for you, I need to find my own."

He prepared for Rey to argue with him further, but she did not. She looked completely crushed, her eyes looked wet but did not look angry.

"I understand," Rey quietly said. Her eyes not meeting his. "I wish you well."

He wished he could say more to comfort her. He held out his hand for her to shake. "You too."

She firmly shook his hand, flashing him an uneasy smile. Poe held out his hand and shook it tightly.

"Take care of her." he muttered quietly in Poe's ear, knowing that Rey would not appreciate that.

The young man flashed him a dashing grin. "Of course. Take care of yourself Finn."

This was for their own good, for them and for him. He wouldn't be able to bear seeing another friend die at the hands of Phasma. He walked away and didn't look behind him.

* * *

When Rey saw the back of Finn, him not bothering to look at her or Poe it made her heart clench. It brought on a raw memory, a younger her screaming at the top of her lungs for her loved one to come back.

Rey watched Finn disappear in the crowd of people. The way he didn't even glance behind him once made her heart hurt. It brought on a raw painful memory of when she was younger, the way she screamed at the top of her lungs for her loved one to come back.

 _'Why does everyone I care about leave?'_ she thought rather sadly to herself.

"Rey..." Poe muttered rubbing her back in a comforting motion.

She didn't even notice the tears spilling from her eyes until the taller man wiped them away from her with his course thumb.

"Hey." Poe quietly muttered his dark eyes scanning his surroundings. His arm over her shoulders. "We need to lift our spirits up."

Rey raised her eyebrows and shot him an annoyed look. "Poe..."

"Look," Poe pointed his finger in the direction of a wooden sign. Chalum's Cantina it read with faded and chipped paint. "If you want someone found, _especially_ a guy like The Pirate King. We _need_ to be in the bars."

It seemed like a foolish way to get her to take her mind off of Finn, but could not find it in her heart to argue as they walked towards the building. The whole docks area had a really funny smell, like really old dead fish. Poe held open the wooden door for Rey in a gentleman like fashion. Inside the Cantina it smelled strongly of smoke and alcohol.

"Someone spilled ale here." Poe muttered almost to himself, his dark eyes locked onto Rey's. "Weeks ago by the smell."

The Cantina was bustling with people, people looked like they each had a story to tell. Elves with missing ears and scars, tattooed hulking men and dwarves smoking their pipes to name a few. There was a faint sound of music with flutes and violins located on a stage near the furthest end of the tavern.

Poe gently ushered Rey to table and chair. Once they were sat down, Poe flashed a smile at one of the barmaids.

"Bandit's Punch." he made his order to her. "One for me and my friend here."

" _Just_ a friend?" the barmaid winked at him before setting of to fulfil the order.

Rey rolled her eyes slightly as she watched Poe eye up the woman as she walked away. To his credit he seemed embarrassed when he realised that she was watching him.

"This place was where Han Solo met the Lost Prince." Poe stated casually with a shrug. "Figured he be in here, than anywhere else."

 _That_ did peek her interest. She raised her eyebrows. It made Poe smirk slightly.

"Over there in that spot," Poe pointed to an area of the wall, it had a bullet hole. Faint black ash around the crevice. "Was where The Pirate King shot a guy...or maybe the other guy tried to shoot _him._ Who knows?"

The barmaid returned rather quickly, two glasses on her tray. She set the glasses on the sticky wooden table. Rey picked up the glass, the drink really did smell like sludge. It's colour a warm brown.

"Look," Poe looked down at his drink. "I'm sorry about Finn. But..."

"You don't need to say any more." Rey said quietly.

Poe looked away and knocked back his drink. He chuckled in a subdued fashion. "Go on have a try."

Rey drank a mouthful and quickly regretted that action. She coughed violently, as her throat burned. Poe tried and failed to repress his laugh at her reaction. "That is awful!"

"Listen, I'm going to ask around. You sat back and wait for me." Poe told Rey.

She watched him slink himself into the crowd, she sipped her drink again. Her senses began to dull considerably, the music blared out and slowly drowned out the surrounding sounds. Rey decided firmly that she did not like this drink. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, she spotted Poe talking to a group of scantily clad women.

 _'What?'_

"Is he your boyfriend?" a friendly voice asked her.

She looked up to see a dark skinned woman her gentle eyes looking at her, standing by close.

"No." Rey said firmly. "He's not." Her eyes watched Poe grinning with the women, her heart dropped as she saw him go through a door with the women following, giggling too.

 _'What is he playing at?'_ Rey thought with fury, she stood up her hands slamming on the table ready to follow him and give him a piece of her mind.

The tavern door flew open, a silence drifted over the drinking patrons of the cantina, the thudding clink of metal. A chill went through Rey as she turned her head to see storm soldiers march through the bar. She slid back into her chair trying to blend in with her environment until they marched past her. They talked quietly to the small bar tender. Quickly she headed straight to the door.

"You." one of the storm soldiers voice cut through.

She darted out of the door, screams of the storm soldiers telling her to stop. Fleeing into the streets, her heart racing fast. People bustling through the docks gave plenty of way for her to run through but nearly found herself in a dead end.

The woman who spoke with her earlier, motioned with her hand. "This way!"

Storm soldiers solidly pushed themselves through the crowd, Rey quickly followed the woman who sped through the alleys quickly. The woman crouched over near one of the corners of the alleyways put a finger to her lips, motioning Rey to slip against the wall near her. There was a sound of running footsteps, that eventually became silent.

"Close one." the woman said quietly.

Rey looked at her, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Why are you helping me?"

"Your poster is on every wall. You're a wanted woman." the woman answered, her bright eyes staring at her.

Rey sighed in frustration, rubbing her temple with her hand. "Great..."

"Tatooine is the last place you want to go, if you wish to hide away." the woman gently informed her. "A lot of people will sell their left hand to make a bit of gold."

"I'm not trying to hide." Rey found herself admitting. "I'm looking for someone."

"Who?" the woman asked interested.

"Han Solo." Rey answered.

The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise. A small smile appearing on her face. "Really? I'm on Solo's crew. We're on shore leave. I can take you to him."

Rey raised an eyebrow looking at her in disbelief. "Really? Prove it."

"Han Solo tends to drink himself silly these days." the woman answered honestly, her eyes looked sad for a moment. "Don't how he keeps going, really. Probably nursing a hang over now."

She was definitely telling the truth about that. The woman reminded her of Finn, in the sense that she helped her in a similar way.

"Where's his ship?" Rey still not convinced.

The woman snorted. "Well the Millennium Falcon isn't going to be in the harbour! It's too recognisable now! Solo is keeping a low head. What with the Emperor wanting his neck and everything."

The woman gently took Rey's hand and took her back through the alleyways. When the sight of the ocean came into view the woman pointed to a group of rocks. "Over there. The Millennium Falcon is behind those rocks."

The rocks in the distance were huge, a dark brown in colour, a good place to hide a ship if any.

"Could you take me to him?" Rey asked quietly.

The woman smiled. "Sure. What about your friend?"

 _'Trying to find Han Solo in the mouths of a group of women, apparently.'_ Rey thought bitterly. It particular stung that he did so shortly after Finn left. They were so close to getting close to the Pirate King, to the island. Only for the both of them to abandon her and give up. It seemed if that the only person she could rely on was herself.

"He'll be fine." Rey said firmly. A flush of betrayal rushing through her.

* * *

The pirate with the red mask seemed to stare Finn down. He looked away unsure if he was refusing him or not. The man looked at his short stubby looking assistant and spoke to him in a language he didn't understand.

"Crimson Corsair says you're in kid." the assistant smiled at him. "Join the crew and we'll give you safe passage. We'll be heading to Kashyyk next."

That was far, far away from Tatooine. He wouldn't have to worry about the storm soldiers ever again, not with an entire group of people like a pirate crew beside him.

The assistant slapped a hand on his back. "You can start by helping the guys load up the cargo," He motioned to the crew working hard like ants filling the ship with cargo of bags of spices. He firmly nodded and set about to help around the ship.

He paused when his eyes caught sight of a silhouette of a small row boat, two figures on it inside. Unusual because none of the smaller boats were going that far out into the ocean.

"Um, excuse me! You there!" a voice caught his attention.

* * *

The woman rowed the small boat in silence, her resting face seemed pleasant. The gentle ocean breeze blew softly across her face firmly beginning to sober her up, slowly beginning to regret leaving Poe behind without an explanation.

"There." the woman motioned with her head.

As what was said behind the rocks was a large ship. The figurehead was a falcon made painstaking detail, the gold paint was chipped away with time. Rey could see that the wood was aged and worn. She lifted her head to see the faded silver letters: Millennium Falcon.

"Wow..." Rey said with slight awe. Although worn down, the ship had many tales to tell. It fought against many enemies. Pirates, Naval ships even the old Emperor himself at one point.

"All the crew are on shore leave." the woman stated as she rowed near the step ladder. "Go on up, I'm sure Solo is in his office."

Rey unsteadily climbed the ladder, the woman guiding her up the steps. It was eerie that the ship was so empty and quiet. It was like a ghost ship.

"This way," the woman walked to the end of the deck, her footsteps making the wood creak and moan. She opened a door. The captain's office, she could guess by looking at it. "Huh. He's not here. Wait in there, I'll look around."

Rey stepped inside. The large windows behind the captain's chair showing off the ocean view, to the corner of the room was a wooden chess set. Suddenly the floor seem to move leading her to grab the desk to remain steady, she looked out of the window to see that they were moving.

What?

The door creaked open.

"What's going-" Rey started to ask until she caught a glimpse of the black metal mask.

"Reyana." the Emperor stated pleasantly, smugness seemed laced with it. "So glad you decided to join me, on my ship."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I will admit something, the ship scene was inspired by The Thief of Bagdad 1940 with Conrad Veidt. In fact that was the film that got me to penning this story, out of all the films that has the villain having a love for the heroine that one was the most interesting to me. Mostly because the villain was more active in protecting her than the actual hero was!**

 **The ship is sailing, repeat the ship is sailing!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews and favs!**

 **Sorry for the delay, the 9th of August was my birthday and I had a few days off.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

A thin female elf with blue skin stood before Finn. She looked nervous and meek. It took a few moments to realise it was the same woman who attended to Rey at the slave market. Poe stood near her, the normally cocky grinning face looked gravelly serious.

"Poe? What happened?" Finn asked letting the bag of spice drop to the boat's floor like lead.

"It's Rey, she's in danger." Poe answered, not quite letting his eyes meet Finn's. "Its my fault."

"...What? Where is she?"

"I overheard the storm soldiers talking," the elf gently said, "They're trying to lure the girl to the Millennium Falcon."

Finn's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "The Millennium Falcon? Han Solo's ship? Why would the emperor try and lure her there?" he asked.

"Han Solo hasn't owned the ship for years," the blue elf admitted solemnly. "The emperor must own it now."

"And where were _you_?!" Finn asked Poe in a slightly harsh tone.

"One second I was asking around for Han Solo...the next I was...well Rey was gone." Poe mumbled frustrated. Finn observed the large bruise like love mark on his neck. To Poe's credit he looked ashamed. "I don't know what came over me."

 _The little boat in the water_. Finn's dark eyes scanned the sapphire waters, his eyes catching sight of massive brown rocks in the distance. The elf caught on quick to his thinking.

"Hmm. If I was a large boat and wanted to keep out of sight, where would I hide?" the elf asked aloud, her eyes on the rocks.

Poe raised his eyebrows. "Makes sense."

"Why are you helping us?" Finn suddenly asked the elf.

She sighed. "I...I told the emperor that the girl was trying to find Captain Solo."

" _ **What?**_ _"_ Finn hissed.

The elf held up her hands. "Hey! He read my thoughts! I didn't have much of a choice."

"Why didn't you run?" Poe asked not unkindly. "I saw Rey take off your collar. Why not escape them."

The azure skinned female let out a frustrated grunt. "I…It—It just felt too perfect. I thought it was too good to be true, you know?"

Finn softened his gaze. Instinctively his hand rubbed the slave mark on his arm. "I know too well."

Poe put a hand on his shoulder and pulled out a pale blue gem out of his pocket. "I've got an idea but we need a boat to get close to The Falcon."

* * *

"You?" Rey breathed out horrified, her eyes locked onto the man in black. His expression was hidden behind that damned metal mask but could only imagine the smug look on his face as he blocked the only exit with his tall stature.

"Oh? Were you expecting someone else?" he asked knowingly.

Rey bristled, shooting him a burning dirty look from behind the captain's desk. "Where's the _real_ captain? Han Solo? The woman said-"

"Said that she was apart of _Solo's_ crew. She didn't specify _which_ Solo." the emperor pointed out coldly. "That old drunken fool hasn't owned this ship for _**years**_ _._ "

 _'Shit.'_ Rey inwardly cursed. She had forgotten that he was once known as Ben Solo. It was easy to forget when a person refers to himself a completely different name.

"Reyana." he stepped forward, in response Rey stepped back until she felt the cool glass of the cabin's window press against her skin. He stopped in front of the desk. He seemed to observe her for a moment before speaking again. "I would have rather preferred to avoid deception but you gave me little choice. You've avoiding my grasp at every opportunity."

"That tends to happen, when you're being hunted by a **c** reature in a mask." Rey replied, then scolded herself for being tactless. She couldn't risk being too defiant, if she wanted to live another day.

Then he did something she did not expect. He reached his hands up to unlatch his metal mask and removed it, revealing his young narrow face.

Honestly Rey didn't know what she was expecting but she did not expect the emperor to look so...normal. He had raven black hair, an aquiline nose and pale skin. His dark eyes stared at her with fierce intensity, yet that wasn't what frightened her. What truly disturbed Rey was the familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach, like she _knew_ him. Yet this was the first time she could recall seeing his face.

"Would like to have a seat?" he offered the leather bound chair sitting at the desk in a gentleman fashion. Rey said nothing and decided to burn holes at the floor instead. She could feel his stare burning into her. "If it makes you more comfortable, I can answer any questions you might have." the emperor murmured.

"Really?" she raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "How I know if you're honest?"

He looked a little amused at that. "I prefer to be honest from the beginning."

 _'Says the man who tricked me.'_ Rey thought to herself. The emperor looked at her, tilting his head like she said it aloud. For moment she wondered if she did actually say it or not.

"All right." she stated quietly, not daring to take her eyes off the man. "Where you taking me?"

The emperor sat himself down and turned the chair to face her. "We're going home, to Naboo."

Rey decided to repress the question of _'Why'_ for the moment. She knew already that she would not like the answer, instead she asked. "How? How did you manage to track me down?"

A small smirk appeared on the emperor's face, as if he was incredibly pleased with himself as he pulled out a piece of parchment from his robe and unrolled it. "Do you recognise this?"

At the bottom line of the parchment was her own messy signature from years ago, at the corner was a small tear. It the contract she had with Unkar Plutt. "That fat bastard." she hissed under her breath.

"With your own hand I was able to track you through the desert." he explained calmly, his eyes glinted slightly. "Its a spell I will one day teach you."

She silently stared at him in horror. An awful chill ran through her being as Rey realised she even didn't have a chance of escaping him completely. He continued as he leaned back in his chair

"The desert sands all look the same. I was not able to get your exact location until Tatooine." a small smirk played against his lips. "A _very_ recognisable place. From the docks to that run down cantina."

"That woman." Rey cut through his smugness with her icy tone. "Did she make Poe go away?"

"Did I ask her to make him go with the women? No." the emperor stated harshly. But after a second he looked away and quietly added. "But it _was_ her mission to separate you and those two men. And Raina _is_ a mage."

A sense of certainty breathed over her. He _was_ manipulated. It was the only thing that made sense to her.

"Why?" Rey burst out. "Why are you doing this?"

The emperor honestly looked surprised at that. "You really don't know Reyana?"

"Why do you call me that?" Rey asked.

There was an indescribable look etched onto the emperor's face right then. It was a mixture of pity and anguish. He brought a leather gloved hand through his raven locks of hair. "You don't even **know your own name?!** " his eyes flashed crimson for a second making Rey flinch. "Whoever did this to you will pay."

"What are you talking about?"

"Reyana. That's your name...unless you call yourself something else these days?" the emperor stated his dark eyes boring into hers as he got closer to her.

"Rey, it's only Rey." she softly stated. There was an element of sadness ebbing from the man she didn't understand. A very small part of her felt sorry for him. "You didn't answer me. Why are you doing this?"

" _Rey_." he seemed to test her name against his lips and cracked a smirk. "It's really simple, you're to become my Empress."

" **What?** " Rey asked in a disbelieving tone. "You can't be serious! I'm nothing! I grew up in a desert! I-"

They were close now, a leather gloved hand caressed her face. His face leaned close to hers, his forehead against hers. Her lip quivered, she started to really fear her fate.

"You are _not_ nothing." the emperor gently but firmly told her, his dark eyes gazing at her with adoration. "You are the last of the Kenobi's." That made her flinch a bit. "And you're my betrothed."

He gently kissed the top of her forehead, as his gloved hand stroke through her hair. She was mired in his grip, her back pressed against the glass of the window. She tried to resist the urge to tremble.

"I've waited years to see you again." he admitted with a bitter sigh. "I had hoped...well, it matters not."

She found the courage to ask, "And who decided this betrothal? You?"

"No." he coolly said pulling away allowing her some space. "Your family and mine."

"Emperor you realise I have no knowledge on politics, or court manners right?" she asked crossing her arms and raised an eyebrow at the emperor.

He looked at her amused. "You can call me Kylo. Those skills can be taught and besides it might bring a different sense of perspective if my bride had more interaction with the common life."

Repelled Rey turned her gaze on the sapphire waters of Tatooine, the port getting smaller with each passing second. She felt all her hopes evaporate before her and strongly repressed the urge to cry. Until her eyes caught sight of a tiny boat bobbing up and down the waves of the ocean, following the ship.

 _'Probably need to keep my head down after this.'_ Poe thought to himself as he silently navigated the small boat with the sail.

The owners of the boat was _furious_ that they stole their fishing port, he could hear their angry screams even after they had good distance from the harbour. Thankfully they left the elf at the port.

"We sure about this?" Finn asked as the wind blew against his face.

"We need to get close enough for me to use the gem. If I use the gem and pull Rey away again...it might just save her."

"Then teleport the boat?" Finn reiterated.

Poe shot him a gin. "I can try."

* * *

It was them. She knew instinctively. Her eyes locked onto the emperor who sat back down in his chair, his dark eyes never leaving her. She firmly decided to distract him, to give the others the chance.

"You said I was the last of the Kenobi's." Rey quietly spoke up.

"It gives me no pleasure to say that you are indeed the last of the Kenobi's. Their crypt is in Naboo, I will take you there eventually." The emperor informed her, his eyes seem to study her.

"Are we to get married right away?" the question made her feel sick.

He smirked. "No. Not immediately we can spend a few months getting to know each other first."

She opened her mouth to ask another question but he rose from his seat, leaning slightly against the desk with his hand. "Maybe you can answer some of my questions?"

Rey furrowed her eyebrows together, giving him a suspicious look.

The emperor chuckled slightly. "You act like I'm going to interrogate you. I answered your questions, it's only fair that you answer some of mine."

"Okay, fine." Rey tensely said. Still eyeing him up with suspicion.

He cracked a smirk. "You and those men. Are you _only_ friends? With the both of them?"

Rey clenched her fist, defiantly she raised up her chin. "Would it even matter to you if one of them was my lover?"

She didn't like the cold look on face. "Yes. It would."

"To answer your question, no. We were only friends." Rey answered avoided his gaze slightly, as she crossed her arms.

He seemed to study her slightly, as if analysing whether or not she was being truthful. His dark eyes bored into her hazel ones and he stepped closer to her.

"Why were you trying to find Han Solo?" he asked coolly.

Rey decided to be _very_ careful with her answer and avoided his gaze. "I was hoping that he'd take me to a place."

"Where did you plan to go?"

"...An island." she admitted quietly.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you there?" A sense of smugness laced with the question.

"I'm not sure." Rey answered honestly.

He looked at her his smirk unchanging, a glint appeared in his eyes. "Did someone tell you to go there?"

She said nothing. He then asked. "Did he have a silver hand?"

She remained silent but this was apparently enough of an answer for him to comment. "This is one of the reasons why it was important for you to come with me. That man is a danger and a manipulator."

"Worse than you?" Rey asked defiantly.

"Yes." he firmly stated. "He's weak and a fool. I know him well."

Rey said nothing else but settled to give him a heated look. He gave a small smile, the emperor closed the distance between them and stroked her cheek with his gloved hand.

"Could you answer one last question Rey?"

"...Okay." she muttered quietly.

He leaned in close, his gaze upon her was loving but there was something else mixed in his expression.

"Did you really think I couldn't sense your little friends in that boat?"

A horrendous chill struck through her being. She stared at him horrified, even more so because he didn't even look angry or upset. He seemed _**amused**_.

"Rey, you'll be a powerful mage once you have the training. You sensing them now is a sign of that." he didn't remove his hand and his eyes became cold. "But I have _years_ of training compared to you, if you can sense them **I definitely can.** "

"Please-"

He removed his hand and stalked over to the desk. "Your friends seem to be under the delusional belief that they were protecting _you_. When in truth if it wasn't for you, they would've been dead by now. Shall I correct them?"

"No! Don't!" Rey shrieked her hand reached out to hold him back as he placed the metal mask back on his face.

The emperor ignored her, he slammed the cabin door open and she hastily followed him out. The entire ship's deck was filled with people and storm soldiers, they all quietened down as they watched them both. She spotted the woman who tricked her in the crowd. She had the decency to look guilty.

The once beautiful blue sky and white clouds quickly transformed into a sinister black. The emperor stepped up the upper deck and loomed over the side. Watching the tiny boat bob up and down as the waves began to get rockier and unstable. He raised his arms in the air. A red energy glowed softly from his hands.

"No, no, no no **no**!" Rey cried out, tears streaming down her face as she watched her friends plunge dangerously up and down in the stormy waters.

"I tire of this game." the emperor gritted out. "I will end it today."

"Kylo!" she yelled, he turned his head slightly at that. Her lip wobbled slightly. "Please...please, don't kill them."

He was silent for a few moments, he didn't look away from her. For a few moments it looked like she had gotten through to him.

Then the tiny boat cracked, it cracked so loud that Rey was certain that everyone on the Falcon could hear it. It splintered into tiny pieces and then sank into the dark depths of the ocean. There was complete silence from everyone, Rey quietly cried unable to cry out for her friends. She was certain that he killed them.

The emperor stalked past Rey and stopped near a storm solider. "Retrieve them from the waters, lock them up and make a stop at Coruscant."

"Yes, my lord." the woman said.

He stared at her, she stared up back at his mask. She flinched slightly when he used a leather glove to wipe away the tears that had spilled down her face.

"I'm sure you're tired Rey." he stated. "Sleep in the captain's quarters." He turned to his storm soldier. "Make sure that Lady Rey, doesn't leave the room until I say otherwise."

"As you say my lord." the storm solider obeyed.

* * *

 _ **'You've done well, my disciple.'**_ the dark voice stated pleased in Kylo's mind.

"My thanks, master." Kylo responded flatly, his eyes staring at the depths of the dark blue ocean. The waves gently crashed against the decaying vessel of Solo's ship.

 _ **'You are triumphant. Why do you not feel victorious?'**_

His mind thought of Reyana. "Her reaction to me...it wasn't what I expected."

A dark chuckle rang out through his mind. _**"Love is often compared to a battlefield and war for good reason, my son."**_

Love is a battlefield? It certainly felt that way to him. "Someone took her memories. She didn't even know her _true_ _ **name.**_ _"_ His anger rose at that.

Whoever did it will pay. Dearly.

"Was it _him_?" Kylo asked his master. Him referring to his foolish uncle.

" _ **Possibly. But the question to ask is why?"**_ his master pointed out.

Why indeed? What purpose would have it served for Rey to have no memories of her past? It didn't make much sense to him.

His dark eyes trailed to the door of the captain's quarters. A dutiful storm soldier stood on guard as ordered. He had thought of trying to talk to her but didn't want her to hate him any more than she did now. Maybe in Coruscant...

Rey stared at the gentle waves crashing against the ship. There was one point in her life where she would've given anything to be aboard the Millennium Falcon, now she would give anything to safely leave with Finn and Poe.

She wished that she had never left Poe in the Cantina. She wished that she had never trusted that woman. She hoped that her friends were okay.

The ocean looked welcoming to her at this point, her mind briefly thought of throwing herself out of the window and into the desert ocean waters. But she doubted that she would've gotten very far, the sound of breaking glass would attract the soldiers.

She cleared her mind and thought of giving a message to the man with the silver hand. Despite him being unable to talk to her.

 _'Hello?…If you can hear me, I failed. The emperor has caught me.'_

Silence was her answer and she prayed that someone would hear her.

* * *

 **A/N: So what do you guys think?**

 **I really enjoyed writing the Kylo/Rey scenes. More will definately come. I'm starting a tumblr it's in my profile** **. It's still in its baby steps, I've not really done one before but if anyone has any questions I'll be able to answer. Even if they are a guest!**

 **See you soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:**

 **Sorry for the delay! My computer is still messing up a bit. The "t" button and space kept freezing up. Never realised how many "t"s I tend to use.**

 **I hope you enjoy guys!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight**

Rey had a different dream again.

This time a large ancient castle surrounded her, she observed the neat jade green grass and the beautiful bursting colours of exotic looking flowers of reddish colours. Rey strongly suspected that she was in the castle gardens.

" _Mother!"_ she heard her younger self shout. It seemed to echo and float amongst the air.

At the end of the cobble stoned garden path a slender woman stood tall. Her back faced Rey, her hands glowed a soft green. The vines of the tree seemed to reach out towards her hand, curling around her finger. Younger Rey barrelled forward and hugged her mother behind with force.

" _Oh! Rey."_ The vines withered away slightly, the woman made a half turn towards her younger self, her little arms hugging tight. She lowered herself to her level. _"Never hug a mage from behind."_ she admonished slightly, _"Especially when they are practising magic."_

Younger Rey lowered her head. _"Sorry, mother."_

With great sadness Rey realised this was the first time in seeing her mother, Katala. She absorbed her mother's appearance, her hair a deep rich brunette colour that curled out in soft waves. Her eyes a striking blue and a round face. Her dress, the colour of the sky made of a shiny material and a small sun beaded on the shoulder.

Her mother hugged her slightly, stroking her hair fondly. _"It matters not. Do you have a need of me little one?"_

Her younger self knitted her small eyebrows together, her face in an attempt to look very serious. It ended up looking kind of adorable really. _"Mama, I need to speak with you."_ Her posture straightened up, ending up looking like a very small business person.

Katala raised an eyebrow. _"Oh?"_ Her eyes filled with amusement and pride. _"What_ _'s wrong now_ _?"_

Younger Rey's mouth sank into a grimace. _"Marriage."_

" _Ah."_ Katala instinctively looked like she understood the problem. _"More specifically **your** future marriage with Prince Ben? What about it?"_

" _I don't want it."_ her little voice developed into a whine.

Her mother's mouth went into a thin line. _"Any particular reason why? I thought you were getting along well with Ben."_

The younger Rey stared at the withered up vines. _"_ _I don't to be bossed around and told what to do."_

" _What's this sudden fear? Has the prince been unkind to you?"_ Katala asked in a protective tone. Her voice seemed to promise the boy a world of hurt.

" _No. He's the kindest boy I know."_ Younger Rey admitted softly.

Rey raised an eyebrow at that.

" _Then what has made you say this?"_ Katala urged her young daughter, her hand still stroking younger Rey's hair.

" _Lady Dorne said-"_

An incredibly annoyed look chiselled on her mother's face. _"Lady Dorne can very well mind her own business. Even the Queen find her antics annoying and you tell her that I said so next time."_

" _But...mother..."_

" _Rey, you're very likely going to be our only child."_ Katala told her softly but firmly. She didn't go into _why_ she believed that Rey would be her only child. _"The Kenobi line may very well end with you. That means its important to keep our traditions alive and keep your future children's blood strong with magic."_

" _The queen chose her own husband. You did too."_ Younger Rey pointed out factually.

Katala raised her eyebrows, the corners of her mouth upturned slightly. _"The queen has an entire country to think of and keeping other neighbouring countries happy. Luke and I need to think of the future of the mages. We will never bring back the Mages of Light but we should try and keep their traditions alive. Understand?"_

" _No."_ Younger Rey admitted, her face looking confused.

" _In days of old, when a mage line only had a female successor they did one of two things: Let them carry on the family name, like I did. Or try and marry them to a powerful mage line, to keep the blood strong. With you I'm choosing the second option."_ Katala explained carefully. _"We are lucky to have the royal family have magic run through their veins."_

" _That isn't fair!"_ Younger Rey whined.

Katala chuckled slightly. _"Little one, the world isn't fair. We have to do things we don't like, but I highly doubt that **anyone** would be able to control you. You're far too feisty for that."_

" _I don't want to do kissy stuff either!"_ Younger Rey scowled crossing her arms.

Katala raised her eyebrows to the sky. _"I hope you won't be doing that sort of thing for a long time yet. But I understand, you know I didn't even like handshakes when I was in my twenties."_

Younger Rey titled her head. _"Really? That's weird."_

" _Living on an isolated island would do that to you."_ Katala smirked lightly. _"Tell you what, if you're eighteen and you still don't want this marriage. I'll burn the betrothal contract. Does that sound fair?"_

" _I guess so."_ Younger Rey admitted begrudgingly.

" _Good. Now let's go and find your father. Shall we?"_ Katala held the younger Rey's tiny hand and walked away.

Rey saw them both walk away down the path, the sun in the sky became brighter until she became keenly aware of her inevitable awakening. White flooded her vision as she drifted out of consciousness.

Before she woke up she heard a male's voice call out distantly. _"Reyana."_

Rey raised her head off the hard surface of the desk. She felt an awful headache pulse through her mind, the sharp rapping against the door made it slightly worse.

"Lady Rey?" the muffled voice came behind the door, the rapping continued rigorously.

"...Yes?" Rey begrudgingly responded.

"We're at the Coruscant docks. Please come out so we may guide you through the city." the tone was polite enough.

"...I'm coming..." Rey bottled down her apathy for now, she had Finn and Poe to think of.

* * *

The building that overlooked the Coruscant docks looked like an old palace. Slightly round in shape, with multiple windows with golden frames that made it shine even from a distance. The entrance had marble floors and pillars.

But something was off about it, there was a muffled sound that Rey could hear every now again. Constant distant muffled, moans of pain. Were they atop a dungeon? A chill ran down her spine. She hoped the Poe and Finn weren't going to be down there.

"Oh is this Lady Rey?" an oddly cheerful voice asked. Two ladies in purple shawls elegantly approached the two storm soldiers in front of her. They looked identical to one another, small content smiles with painted red lips it made them look very unnerving.

"Yes." one of the storm soldiers Rey said.

"Come with us my lady," the lady on the right asked, smiling showing off her pearly white teeth. "We'll be your handmaidens for today."

Reluctantly Rey followed the two creepy women through the marble hallway in silence, leaving behind the two storm soldiers. It creeped her out that they never once relaxed or dropped their smiles, their faces were fixed and mask like.

They held open two large wooden doors, gold glinted from the light of the morning sun that shined through the roof window. Warm steam filled the room emitting from a bath built into the marble floor, round and deep. They wanted her to bathe?

She waited for a few terribly awkward moments before realising they weren't going to leave her alone. "...You aren't going to give me some privacy?"

Both the handmaidens looked at each confused. The one on the right composed herself to say, "A lady does not just bathe herself!"

"A lady doesn't but I do." Rey stated firmly, glaring at the both of them.

"Please my lady," the handmaiden on the left pleaded. "We need to do our duty, or..." Her tone implied that she might be punished for failing to do so.

Rey soon softened her gaze. It wasn't their fault she was in this mess.

"Could you at the very least turn around?" Rey asked huffily.

They obeyed though she could tell the handmaiden on the right was still confused, though Rey suspected it was because she only had to deal with noble women who never had to fend for themselves rather than any actual malice.

Rey slipped out of her desert wear, she first dipped her foot in the steaming hot water. The heated sensation welcomed her inside and as she settled in the tub she began to wonder when was the last time she bathed properly. The oasis before the slavers caught her but it was nothing like this. She wouldn't dare admit it out loud but it felt nice.

The handmaidens happily went about their duty, one putting various sweet smelling liquids into the water. She scowled as the other let her hair loose making it fall past her shoulders. After soaking her hair she massaged a cool liquid that smelled flowery.

"I'll get the lady's clothes." the handmaiden that attended her bath quietly said to the other.

"Clothes? What about the ones I already have?" Rey asked, opening one eye as the other gently massaged her scalp.

"The emperor ordered us to burn them." the one doing her hair stated. "A future empress can't very well go around in rags is what he said."

Rey rolled her eyes and sighed. "...Oh of course he did."

* * *

Kylo watched the busy city below him. Busy and small like ants, going in and out of their nests. Coruscant was a much more civilised city than Tatooine and Jakku. Their mechanical horses pulling the carts of various carriages and the sleek cleaner look showed this.

His mask stared at him on the coffee table beside the door, as Reyana looked uncomfortable around his mask. Hopefully the handmaidens would put her at ease slightly. Various food that he was certain Rey had never even seen before sat displayed on the table in the center of the room. He feared that she might be malnourished, there couldn't possibly be many filling foods in that dusty wasteland.

A soft knock broke his thoughts. "My emperor, Lady Rey is here."

"Good." he said. "Send her in."

The light from the window highlighted her slightly tanned skin. Her beautiful warm brown hair was much longer than he had originally thought. It went past her shoulders and curled ever so slightly. Gold beads decorated the high neckline of the ruby red dress that hugged her body, showing of her small curves. She looked better than he could've imagined.

"Rey," his lips curled in a warm smile. "You look radiant."

She didn't look too impressed with him, scowling slightly glaring at him with her lovely hazel eyes.

He didn't really blame her for that, this whole ordeal was a lot to take in.

The first words that left her mouth in an almost spiteful manner were: "Where's Finn and Poe?"

Kylo exhaled slightly. "The men you call friends are safe for now. We will discuss their fate soon but first we should eat. I have no doubt it has been a while since you've eaten well."

Her eyes absorbed the sight of the food. In the end Reyana's stomach betrayed her and growled furiously confirming his theory. In a begrudging fashion she sat down at the table, a female servant silently served her a large helping of various vegetables and meats.

"You may leave." Kylo stated to his servant and guard in the room.

Obediently they simply nodded and silently left the dining room. Reyana's fear spiked notably and although it pained him to see her afraid of him he understood. With her life in the desert, there were perhaps...unsavoury men she had to deal with in the past, if that whale bastard of a guardian was any indication.

"Do you like the view of Coruscant?" Kylo decided to make conversation to make conversation.

She raised an eyebrow, her eye blazed at him a hot fiery glare as she stabbed her meat with her fork. Her at least her fear was dying down. "Are Finn and Poe in the dungeons?"

Kylo looked at her shocked. She wasn't meant to know about that. Her hazel eyes glared at him. "...Yes. But they are safe."

He recomposed himself and continued.

"I had hoped to talk to you about your...friends. And their fate." Kylo quietly said as he sipped his wine from his silver goblet. "Now that we're alone I can fully discuss the terms."

"What possible terms could there be if you plan to hold them hostage?" Reyana angrily muttered, her eyes not quite meeting his.

"I don't plan to hold them hostage." Kylo stated honestly.

Her eyes shined, looking she was about to burst into tears but stubbornly refusing to break down. "So you're going to kill them then?"

"No." He crossed his arms and waited for it to sink in.

She narrowed her eyes. "There's a catch. There's always a catch."

Kylo smirked despite himself. "When we're married, we will have to determine certain fates, sometimes involving the lives of others. Now is good practise."

Practise, perhaps was a poor choice of words.

Reyana scowled in fury. "They're people! You can't just-"

"Rey." Kylo curtly cut off. "I am the emperor of several countries. On the contrary, I make decisions that impact the lives of millions daily. Don't think I don't understand the value of it."

She looked at him as if he was mad. "But you just _kill_ people at will!"

"Only people who defy me." Kylo stoically said, his eyes staring at the white table cloth. "Everyone has value in the empire, but people who rebel _need_ to be punished. Make no mistake, if **you** didn't care about them. They both would've died."

"Why?" she quietly asked.

"If I show one little sign of weakness then people _will_ try and eliminate me. If I just let someone go without punishment then people will believe I have a soft heart." Kylo informed her carefully.

"Showing compassion and humanity isn't a weakness!" Rey stated exasperated. Kylo found her slight naivety of the world slightly endearing.

"The people need a leader, not a friend." Kylo said firmly. "So. What should be done about my former storm solider and that little thief? They need some form of punishment for their crime."

"Crime of _what?_ They were protecting a girl."

"From the imperial army. Who simply wanted to retrieve her back home." Kylo's voice was very curt but not unkind.

Reyana snorted. " _ **Please**_ , if you're men didn't just...try and grab me! I'd never had run!"

Kylo raised an eyebrow. "Grab you? They were supposed to talk to you as well. Did they hurt you?"

She paused. "No. But they were kind of rough."

 _'_ _ **Idiots.**_ _No wonder she ran away.'_ Kylo thought to himself. He may pay a visit to Phasma and seek who was responsible for that but for now.

"At least they had noble intentions in mind." he begrudgingly admitted. "But I still can't just let them go without punishment. When they saw me, they should have left us alone. So, what do you think I should do?"

Reyana raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me?"

"You are going to be my wife, your opinion matters." Her becoming a trophy wife wasn't what he wanted. He wanted her to be happy as she could be.

She paused. Clearly trying to think of the most lenient sentence she could muster. "Banishment?" she said unsure of herself.

"Banishment? Why?" he encouraged her.

Reyana became firmer, her eyes blazing. "They don't deserve to be hurt…but if you banish them that's punishment enough. They will never see me again and they never come back to Coruscant or Naboo."

"And if they come back for you?" Kylo raised an eyebrow as he stood up from his seat coming towards her.

She looked at her plate. "...You can do what you want. I'll even sign a contract with you."

Kylo very gently took Reyana's hand in his, she flinched like he burned her. "No, I won't do a contract with you." He pressed his lips against her soft hand. The smell of flowers faintly on her skin. "I'd rather not scar your lovely skin."

She looked like he wanted to eat her at that sentence. She tried to mask her fear with a defiant glare but her hand shook ever so slightly in that moment.

One day he hoped that she would no longer fear him, wives should never fear their husbands. Someday he hoped that he could make her happy. Her circumstance was unusual but most betrothed couples did not love or care for the other but grew fondness over time, Kylo just wished they were different. Maybe if she got her memories back…

"If you disappear suddenly, they will be my top suspects. You understand what that means?" he asked her softly.

That he'd have to hunt them down. He knew she understood when she slowly nodded. He craved for more contact with her but her feeling of unease with him was overwhelming. Kylo had her now, they had the rest of the lives with each other.

"After dinner, you can say goodbye to them if you wish. Tomorrow we leave for Naboo. I think you might like it there." Kylo told her as he calmly let go of her hand.

Reyana said nothing, her mouth went into a thin line. Couldn't really say no to that could she?

* * *

Poe's arms felt heavy. His hands were being restrained by a metal contraption from the ceiling. Finn hung from the ceiling directly next to him.

There had been some passing comments, of "Thief" and "Traitor". Thankfully they left them both alone for the most part.

It had happened so fast. One moment they were both edging their way to the boat to save Rey, the next minute they both plunged into the icy waters. His gem solemnly sunk down in to the bottom of the dark ocean abyss. Then as he slowly began to lose consciousness he felt himself being fished out of the sea.

He was then thrown in down into the hold of the ship. Now they were here? Why? If the emperor want them both dead he would've done so back then. The only possible reason he could think of was because of Rey. Him and Finn were being used as bargaining chips.

The dungeons door creaked open, a storm soldier stepped inside. His armoured feet clunked against the floor as he stepped forward and saluted.

"Her Lady Rey," he bellowed. It echoed against the walls.

What?

Rey came forward, not before giving the solider the stink eye. Poe's eyes were immediately drawn to her red dress that hugged her body. She actually looked quite attractive.

"Guys!" she muttered in relief.

She hugged Finn first and then Poe shortly after.

"Lady Rey?" Finn voiced out his confusion.

Rey rolled her eyes in response. "Long story short, turns out that I'm actually betrothed to the Emperor. He's granting you guys mercy."

"Because of you?" Finn asked. She nodded slightly in response.

No, San Tekka did not die because he wanted to keep a betrothed couple apart. There had to be a reason why he wanted Rey away from him. There had to be.

"Guys," Rey looked so sad in that moment. "Thank you for everything, I'm sorry that our time together was short." She thumbed a tear away.

"Rey..." Finn started to say.

"Go back to the desert." she clearly said. Hugging Finn around his neck and Poe again. Her voice had gotten more wobbly. "Forget about me."

She walked out of the cell.

The storm solider looked at them both. "Wait here you two, we have a few precautions we need to do before your release." He promptly left as well.

"Did you catch that?" Finn whispered to Poe.

"What?" Poe raised an eyebrow.

"She said _'Go back to the desert.'_ Not go home." Finn muttered to him his eyes fixed on the doorway. "Maybe she wants us to..."

"Find Han Solo ourselves?" Poe finished his sentence.

Yes, that would probably help. Or at the very least give them answers.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **If you haven't guessed, I tend to try and avoid the obvious route. All of the characters will grow by the end of the story.**

 **Here's a [hopefully] interesting note:**

 **I use the MBTI system and cognitive functions with all of my characters: Rey is an ISFP, Finn is an ENFP [Hardest character to write for me] Poe is ESTP and so on.**

 **Without it Rey's mother Katala would've been very generic. Instead she's an ISTJ. So instead of being an "Oh there there" type mother she's a "The world isn't fair." type. and thinks more with logical than her feelings.**

 **Kylo is interesting, he's actually an ISFJ. That type tends to not be villainous at all, since unlike ISTJs.**

 **Same type as Tommen from Game of Thrones as an example.**

 **For more info look at his profile on Funky Mbti Fiction on tumblr. One of the most helpful readings on MBTIs. I know it varies depending on site but I enjoy reading up about stuff like this.**

 **On a side note: When little Rey goes "Ben's the kindest boy I know." she's being genuine there. So that's a hint something went horribly wrong there.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys! Hope you enjoy! ^^**

 **Chapter Nine**

The emperor offered her to say goodbye one last time. To watch Poe and Finn leave. She refused, it would've brought painful memories. Of her mother abandoning her in the desert, to never come back for her. Yet she did not trust Kylo enough to not make sure they left the castle safely.

They were dragged roughly out of the old building and then pulled towards the port that the castle overlooked. True to the Emperor's word, they were unshackled on the boat that was assigned to take them back to Tatooine. The storm soldiers watched as the boat left port. Free to make their own mistakes, as the emperor eloquently said.

It was soul crushing, they were the only people she cared enough about to call friends and yet she had to say goodbye so soon. She hated it, being left alone the feeling of isolation.

"Never doubt my word." a voice from behind her stated softly, she didn't turn around. Her eyes fixed on the boat as it sailed away in the distance. Rey felt him come very close behind her, he didn't touch her. Thankfully, but she could tell he was tempted too.

"Why do you deny your destiny?" his voice laced with quiet frustration. "You seem to think yourself a slave."

She shot him a hot fiery glare at that. "Well, you tried to **buy** me at the slave market. I **am** a slave." Rey quickly reminded him of the time he first caught her.

His black eyebrows rose up at. "I didn't actually. I informed them who you were, they were just releasing you into my care."

Rey knew he didn't have a reason to lie really, he hadn't lied before. Her heart was so heavy she just didn't care at this point. Her eyes went back to the port, listening to the waves that crashed against the rocks.

"Command me." he stated softly.

She slowly turned her head to look at him. His dark eyes gazed at her with a fierce intensity, his black cloak blew against the wind softly.

"Give me your desire," his voice a soft whisper as he gently took her hand in his. "and I will fulfil it."

If he had asked her this yesterday, Rey would have spitefully told him to fling himself off of the balcony. But truthfully his death would give her no pleasure. Her chances to travel to the island had completely disappeared, the important key of her family's past. She understood that she wanted to remember having a family, to be loved as a daughter should be.

"You are a mage," she said in an emotionless voice. "Could you retrieve my memories?"

The emperor looked sincerely disappointed in that request, it made her believe it would be a mistake to trust him with her mind before he spoke.

"I'm sorry, I cannot." he answered quietly. "It was a curse that stole your memories. The only one who can give them back is the one who stole them. Unfortunately there's an element of permanence with dark magic."

So it was literally because he couldn't?

"...Are you saying that I'll _never_ get my memories back!"

"You **will**."His fingers delicately stroked her cheek with his gloved hand. "Your mind is strong. I will do everything in my power to get them back. Maybe if you're surrounded by familiar things some of your memories will come back to you."

He said this so sincerely that Rey wasn't sure _what_ to feel about that declaration. Were he Finn or Poe she would have confided that she already started seeing flashes of her past. But the emperor was not them, he wasn't her friend and she wasn't sure if he ever would be.

"What do you know about my family?" she found herself curious if he'd reveal much.

A small smile drifted across his lips. "A few things. Your family had a small manor home in Naboo, not that far away from the palace. Your mother Katala is part Mandalorian from your grandmother's side. Your father Dayne was a trader from Coruscant."

He was telling the truth but she just couldn't remember a thing.

"When did they die?" she found herself asking, her curiosity seeping through.

The emperor's mouth went into a grim line. "Your father died when you were five, by a hunting accident. I do not know how your mother died." he stated honestly. "But you must have been fifteen when my men found her dead."

She felt overwhelming sadness at that and almost slightly afraid to ask her next question. "Do they have a grave?"

"Of course." The emperor answered her like it was obvious. "Queen Leia had a small crypt built for the Kenobi family, your parents are buried there."

A small silence drifted between them, she wanted to ask him but was afraid he'd be cruel and refuse. Rey felt his gloved fingers brush against the edge of her jaw and tilted her head to meet his eyes.

"You have a request I can tell, don't be afraid to ask." his voice was soft.

Rey bristled and pushed his hand away with hers. "You know where they are buried. Would you take me there?"

"Of course, that will be the first place we will go in Naboo." he seemed relatively pleased at her request, although his eyes seemed to brim with sympathy. "If that is what you desire."

She felt like she had nothing else to lose now.

"Yes." Rey firmly said without emotion.

* * *

Reyana had deathly silent throughout the entire journey. She barely spoke a word to him, though he knew that was to be expected. She was still as a statue, staring into space. Her lovely but sad hazel eyes finally gazed out of the carriage window watching the beautiful countryside of Naboo. It was almost like she was in mourning.

He'd prefer her to be angry and snap at him if it made her happier. Yet the emotions that ebbed from her being seemed to be of nothing but tiredness and sadness. Like she was tired of caring.

 _'What do you expect?'_ he asked himself bitterly. _'She was forced to send her friends into banishment, Reyana feels completely isolated now.'_

She made the right decision for her friends, the other available punishments were far less lenient. Reyana would be far more unhappy if her friends were imprisoned or lashed. He gave her the choice.

 _'Reyana needs your patience.'_ he told himself as he stared at her miserable looking form. _'Her entire world has been brought upside down.'_

All of a sudden Reyana's eyes brightened in interest as she gazed up at the sky. A rather adorable curious expression emerged on her face. Kylo glanced out of the carriage window to see soft, gentle snowflakes drifting down from the grey skies.

Hm, seems in all the excitement Kylo had forgot that winter was arriving in Naboo. He needed to remember to tell the servants to fetch extra amount of furs for Reyana. She may find dealing with the cold a lot harder after spending years in the desert.

"Do you remember seeing snow?" he carefully asked her.

Reyana looked surprised that he spoke, well they have been silent for so long but eventually she did answer him.

"No, I don't." Her hazel eyes not moving away from the white flakes in the sky.

"When we were children, we used to play in the snow in the palace grounds." he recalled fondly. "You used to like building castles in the snow."

"Really?" she asked incredulously raising an eyebrow.

Inwardly he cursed the person who stole his beloved's memories. The book that detailed the curse revealed that the process of taking memories was extremely painful for the mind. It was a curse that his own _**grandfather**_ never considered using, he slaughtered his enemies without remorse but they died as themselves, not mindless husks.

He remembered the large snow covered castle grounds, rosy red cheeks. The air so cold they could see their breath. Reyana dragged him over to help her make her castle bigger.

"It's hard to imagine a warlord ever used to frolic around in snow." Reyana stated this bitterly, under her breath. Her eyes shooting a heated glare at the hills.

"And what _do_ you imagine what I was like as a child?" Kylo quickly asked an amused smirk plastered over his face and barely retained his sarcasm as he continued his questions. "That I kicked puppies? That I tortured servants for amusement?"

Reyana gave a small shrug, not really looking at him. He rolled his eyes slightly, sighing slightly to regain his patience.

"You can't be this naive." he muttered despite himself. "It wasn't like I woke up someday and said to myself I wanted to take over the world. It was a decision I made over time."

" _ **Naive**_?" she hissed, her blazing eyes locking onto his. If looks could kill, he would be dead ten times over. "No. I've _met_ men like you before. Men who believe that they can get whatever they want by brute force." Reyana crossed her arms, slinking back into her seat. "You think that you're the only man who has tried to take me? No. You're just the first to catch me."

" _ **Who**_?" he asked infuriated. "Who hurt you?"

"They _tried._ When they realised I was more trouble than I was worth they left me alone, or Plutt stopped them."

Anger rushed through his veins, not at her. Never at her. He felt rage that she had to live vulnerable to the prey of those barbarians. Yes, Reyana never was a weakling but one wrong moment makes can outwit anyone.

But begrudgingly he could see her point of view. In her eyes of course Kylo would look just like those barbarians ready to gather a desert flower such as herself to pluck for their pleasure. She couldn't remember him as anything else. She must think he was simply biding time to abuse her.

"There is a difference between them and me." his voice was much softer than before. " **I** will never harm you."

She avoided his gaze, her fingers gripped the leather at the edge of her seat.

"We'll see." she mumbled softly.

* * *

The carriage stopped at the black iron gates of the crypt. A very reasonable sized plot of land for a noble house, Rey observed to herself. The snow had rested against the ground and the trees. An eerie mist hovered over the ground slightly, it unnerved her slightly.

The carriage draw to a stop at the black iron gates that surrounded her family's crypt. Rey observed it to be a very reasonable size of land for a noble house. Snow had now rested on every surface, an eerie mist hovered over the ground making the surroundings look otherworldly.

A storm soldier clicked open the carriage door and gently helped her out.

"Would you like to be alone or do you want someone to go with you?" the emperor asked her.

"I want to be on my own." Rey said firmly.

She felt like she needed to be alone here. Secretly she hoped that this place would trigger some memories, if that were to happen Rey wanted that in privacy.

"I'll be here until you're ready to leave." the emperor stated. His expression seemed a mixture of disappointment and understanding.

The storm soldier then opened the iron gates with a moaning creak. Quietly but briskly Rey entered, a sombre feeling engulfed her as she walked down the stone path that lead to her family's crypt.

A fairly large triangular shaped statue rested between the gates and the crypt. Bold words carefully carved in stone read: _For the people who perished in the Stewjo-_ Faint snow covered the rest. This was not the only statue, they marked against the ground like graves, perhaps they were. Rey could only assume they were for people who died in the rise of Vader.

Her hand clutched against the cold golden handle of the large wooden door and pulled it open. She looked down as the door creaked and saw stone steps that lead into complete darkness. A whoosh of cold air breathed past her face. Exhaling slightly she stepped into the darkness into the crypt without a second thought.

It strongly smelled like damp, it made her nose recoil. Her eyes did not adjust to the darkness as she descended further down but just when she started to consider going back up to get someone. A single solitary light lit up.

One after the other, the lanterns that hung against the stone walls lit up. Their flames a very light blue, magic seemed to ebb from them.

Rey realised she was in the shadow of a large statue. The statue of a man with a beard gracing his face, hood over his head. The flames from the lanterns revealed that its eyes glinted, two blue jewels were the man's eyes.

Carefully carved in the stone underneath the statue, words read: _'For Obi-Wan Ben Kenobi, Lord of Stewjon, Mage of Light. Beloved father and friend. May he never be forgotten."_

There was a small bit of irony in those words. Rey never met her grandfather, he died well before she was born. She only knew him from tales, from what San Tekka told her and what other travellers stories about a hermit who taught The Lost Prince magic.

Along the dark corridor another smaller statue stood. This time of a woman with long hair, a figure of a peacock laid at her feet. The details of her dress engraved into the stone made Rey believe she was a noble woman.

Bold letters read: _'For Satine Kryze Kenobi, proud Mandalorian and Lady of Stewjon. Beloved mother, sister, daughter and friend. May she never be forgotten.'_

The emperor mentioned that her grandmother was Mandalorian. It was fairly obvious that it was her, the statue was at an angle where the two statues were looking at one another distantly. Slightly symbolic of their relationship in real life.

Underneath the written words of the statues, there seemed to be a small dry space. Withered up dead flowers laid there as did two unlit candles. Rey hadn't dared to try and use magic since the incident at the slave market, but it felt familiar. Like she _had_ to light them.

Focusing her mind on two of the candles, they flickered alight. A soft herbal smell drifted past her nose, a pleasant change from the horrible damp. A sharp searing pain pinched the edges of her mind, she quickly clutched her head gasping slightly.

This place seemed familiar. It was. It **was** familiar. But she couldn't recall anything.

Rey in small frustration continued down the corridor. Her heart stopped on seeing two stone coffins, lying side by side.

It was them she realised sadly. Her parents.

Under one coffin it read: _'Here lies Dayne Kenobi. An honourable man, beloved husband, friend and father. May his remains rest here and he never be forgotten.'_

The other coffin read: _'Here lies Katala Kenobi. Beloved wife, friend and mother. May her remains rest here and she never be forgotten.'_

Kylo buried her mother after he got the throne. She didn't like him much but it was _decent_ of him to lay her mother to rest next to her husband, in the same crypt of her family. Rey had heard stories of him carrying the ashed remains of his enemies around, she'd thought…

Her mind still pulsed in pain slightly, it burned her slightly. When she felt the pain, the more aware of the energy of her surroundings came and morbidly she realised that she could sense her parents remains in their tombs. That made her feel disturbed.

Perhaps it was naive hoping that at least one memory would crash down on her mind coming here. She knew with certainty that she had been here before, yet she could not recall a single memory to back it up. Rey tried despite the aching headache putting pressure on her mind, it only made her feel frustrated. Her mind blank.

Rey cried, at first her tears were born of frustration but then transformed into ones of sorrow. Feeling like she was truly alone in this world. She felt truly foolish to expect her memories to flood back to her.

She wasn't sure how long she remained in the eerily quiet crypt but eventually her tears dried, her eyes feeling slightly puffy. Begrudgingly she made her way back up the stairs, each of the lanterns going out as she did so. She closed the door with a sigh, noticing that the only light that remained in the darkness was the flickering candles that Rey ignited herself.

She notice the warm sun would soon set behind the snowy hills of Naboo, that she could see in the distance of the cemetery. Naboo really was beautiful, so beautifully different from Jakku.

The cold air kissed her skin, despite everything she felt a tiny bit of relief. She didn't regret coming here even if it didn't bring her any answers.

The emperor leaned against the gates, acting statue like patiently waiting for her to come out. His black attire made him stand out in the background.

A small smile drifted against his lips but his eyes seemed unsure of himself.

"Are you all right?" he asked his voice gentle.

"I don't remember anything, if that is what you mean." Rey snapped defensively.

His smile was gone and he raised his hand. Rey flinched slightly despite herself, his leather gloved hand caressed her still wet cheek. He pulled her gently against him to embrace her. "That wasn't what I asked." he stated knowingly.

Rey felt too tired to fight back, she let him embrace her. Feeling his hand stroking her hair.

"I will help you get your memories back Rey, whatever it takes." he promised her sincerely.

The declaration gave her a small smile that she hid against his chest, despite everything. Even if she wiped it away a second later.

* * *

It was a frightening journey back to Tatooine, the boat so small in size had to ride against the stormy waters back to the port again. Nevertheless both Finn and Poe managed to make their way back to the Desert Lands again.

Poe looked greatly relieved when he saw the orange sands of Tatooine and whipped out of the boat faster than Finn could blink.

"Oh land! Finally!" he muttered loudly to himself touching the sandy ground, earning strange looks from people passing back. "For a moment there, I was sure I wasn't going to see this place again!"

"Didn't think you liked the Desert Lands so much." Finn muttered watching Poe with his arms crossed.

"I don't." Poe muttered wiping the sand off his hands with his shirt. "But I'm starting to fucking hate the ocean."

"We need to find Han Solo." Finn stated firmly. They owed it to Rey to find him.

"Assuming he's still here," Poe said standing up. "We need to search bars first."

"And if he's not in any of them?" Finn asked.

"There's at least one person in Tatooine with a loose enough tongue to talk." Poe gave a small shrug.

The area around them became deathly quiet, Poe frowned looking at the merchants scoot away from them. Two large men, much larger than both of them blocked their path. The path was narrow and lead to a busier part of the city.

Finn glared up at the men who stared them both down.

"Hey, yeah could you move over?" Poe asked politely enough.

"We need to talk to you." one of them gruffly told them.

The one next to him clamped his thick hands over both their shoulders. "Or rather _she_ wants to talk to you."

The man dragged them both back, the other man had his hand on his large knife. Finn could see a rather small woman coming up to them both, a group of three or four men followed her.

She was unusual looking, wrinkles decorating each part of her tanned skinned face. Golden-rimmed spectacles with lenses that made her eyes look much bigger than they were. Finn wouldn't have guessed that she would be the leader, compared to the men she was with. She was tiny.

The woman seemed to adjust her spectacles, her eyes surveying them both. Finn and Poe shared a baffled look.

"You two are thieves." her voice sounded slightly accented, cutting very clear. "I wasn't expecting you back."

" _Thieves?_ We-"

"So you _didn't_ steal my perfectly good fishing boat?" she cut through Finn's voice.

Realisation dawned on them both. They did steal a small boat from the harbour, that was floating in the port. That boat must've been hers.

"Listen we're sorry." Finn immediately said. "We did steal it, it was a-"

"Where is it?" the man whose hand was clutched over their shoulders asked.

"...It kind of has been…destroyed...by the emperor. It's probably in splinters at the bottom of the ocean now." Poe confessed a little too job.

" _Right..._ why would the _**emperor**_ of all people destroy Maz's-"

The woman gave her man a look. A look that a grandmother might give to a child that's stepping out of line. Immediately the man silenced. Her mouth wrinkled into a thin line.

"All right, you two tell me your story. It better be the truth and it better be good."

* * *

Reyana looked around their home in reluctant interest. Her beautiful eyes gazed around the grand décor of the palace. He'd have time to give her a tour later.

A servant was kind enough to fetch her a fur cloak, it draped around her bare shoulders and arms a pure white in colour that trailed behind her.

He lead her into a very large empty dining hall, paintings decorated each wall, staring down at them both. Reyana gave him a confused look. Uncomfortable at their isolation.

"Rey," he said his eyes gazing on her fondly. "I think I should teach you some magic techniques."

"I'm _not_ learning dark magic." she quickly snapped.

"You need to learn the basics first." Kylo said equally quick, brushing off the topic of dark magic. "How else will we be able to spar?"

She considered that for a moment, he didn't have to dip into her mind to tell that she wanted to fight him in the future. He was confident that would not happen.

"What would you teach me?" she finally asked.

"We can start with elemental magic." he said with a smile.

* * *

 **A/N: I've wrote a little bit of lore for the world this is set in. Which will perhaps be brushed upon next chapter. Next chapter we're going to be seeing more characters, I'm particularly looking forward to writing one character in particular. Who's personality and views are interesting at best.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Omg guys! Busy, busy few weeks I had. What kept me so busy? Getting a job, I now work at 5am in the morning! ^^ Dear lord, first shift I started out unusually perky for an early riser and then by the time I got home. O/_\\- ' _I can smell colours…' - Drops onto bed_. Then I got sick. - _ - "**

 **But now onto fanfiction stuff! Just so everyone knows, if you spot a grammar mistake you're fine telling me. I will not be offended. I write fanfiction because I want to get better at writing, if I want to publish a book one of these days I should improve on my grammar.**

 **I literally quote Ralph Wiggum everytime I see a mistake: _"Me fail_ _English_ _? That's unpossible!"_**

 **Onwards with the story!**

* * *

 **Chapter Ten**

Rey no longer felt like she was in a relatively small room, it felt...felt strange. Like the physical world was gone and yet the feeling of energy pulsed through her surrounding like a vague outline. Unnatural and thrilling at the same time.

The emperor's face held an odd tranquillity, it seemed that even a powerful mage like him needed to concentrate for particular spells.

"I want you to forget about everything you've heard about magic." his voice firm and supportive all at once. "Be aware of your surroundings and feel the energy. Sense everything about it. Describe it to me."

Slightly fascinated with this she became silent, closing her eyes. She could feel all the lifelessness of the objects resting in the room and nearly flinched when she felt moving energy out of the room. People most likely.

"...It's like. Almost like thread," Rey voiced in an unsure tone. "Like I'm able to tug on them."

"Yes." he nodded. "Mages are the only beings in this world that can touch, feel and manipulate the energy that surrounds all things." This was stated with a tone of great respect. "The reason why we mages were enslaved at one point in history."

"...Enslaved?" Rey asked confused. This she had not heard before.

Momentarily he looked stunned that she did know this.

"Long before either of our grandparents were alive. If you're interested there's a book about it in the library. In any case, the reason that your magic had..." The emperor looked he was trying to carefully choose his next words. "Such a dramatic effect was because of the lack of practise on your part. Mages need to use magic, like a person would to breathe."

"It would've been bad news if I performed too much magic in Jakku." Rey admitted to him.

Again he looked vaguely surprised. "They do not regard mages highly in the Desert Lands?"

"If they can't sell it, anything magic is regarded lowly." Rey shrugged. "In some parts, suspected mages are lynched."

His expression became unreadable, after a few moments of silence he spoke again. "You don't need to be worried any more, practise everyday. I recommend it."

He held out his black gloved hand. Fire burned brightly from his hand, fully in his control. Kylo's dark eyes stared at her. "Without concentration or care, fire burns out of control. If you keep your mind focused and calm. It won't harm you."

She felt fear stab her. Yet at the very least there was no one around to get hurt by her...this time.

"Hold out your hand." the young emperor's voice gently said. "Feel the heat course through your veins."

For a woman who spent most of her life in a hot desert, this was not a difficult task. She thought about the burning sun from Jakku and very quickly flames enveloped her hands. It flickered threateningly towards her arms.

"Remember, **you** control the fire. It doesn't control you."

Rey smirked to herself.

* * *

When Finn finished his tale, the tiny woman known as Maz analysed both him and Poe. Her lips wrinkled back into a thoughtful frown.

"Really? If they did what they said, the emperor wouldn't let them go." muttered the man who tightly gripped Finn and Poe's shoulders. "Especially to impress a girl." he added with a snort.

"It _does_ sound unlikely, doesn't it?" Maz stated without malice, almost with a shrug.

"Look." Finn felt his frustration rise. "Rey is the reason we're alive."

Maz removed her spectacles, revealing her small walnut brown eyes. She leaned in close to Finn, staring intently. Quickly making him very uncomfortable.

"Hmm." she muttered to herself.

Poe raised an eyebrow. "Is this some kind of bizarre courting technique?" He grunted in pain when the man that gripped their shoulders gave him a threatening squeeze.

Maz seemed to smirk slightly with mischief as she did the same with Poe. He chuckled nervously, edging away slightly trying to retrieve some personal space.

"The eyes of two warriors." she said to herself as she flicked her golden rimmed spectacles back on. "So, what _was_ the purpose of coming back here?"

"To find Han Solo." Finn quickly said. "The man in Rey's vision told her to seek him out."

"We're looking for answers." Poe added.

She studied them both for a few seconds more before saying. "You're looking for Solo? I know where he is, we'll take you to him."

Her men looked at her shocked. The man who spoke earlier looked especially flabbergasted. "But they're _thieves_! You even said yourself."

"That was _**unlikely**_." Maz said loudly as if she was addressing a small ignorant child. "Unlikely, is not the same as **impossible**."

The man opened and closed his mouth like a fish on land. "But-"

"Thirty years ago, would you have believed Han Solo would become the king of Naboo?" she raised her non existent eyebrows. "Or that the Skywalker boy was the Lost Prince of Naboo?"

"...I'd probably laugh back then." the man said thoughtfully.

Maz stepped forward and gave a small pat of his lower arm. Clearly being too short to reach his shoulder.

"I might have done the same. Besides, I know for sure they're at least telling the truth about the blue elf."

Finn looked at her confused. "How?"

"I've met her." Maz said with a shrug. "When I was asking around who the hell stole my fishing boat, she admitted the two of you stole it. Though admittedly she was a bit of a stuttering mess, it was a little hard to understand." She looked away thoughtfully. "Nice girl. Got a position on the Crimson Corsair's ship."

Finn briefly wondered if she was _his_ replacement, not that it particularly mattered to him.

The man removed his hands and they got up.

"So, where would Han Solo be?" Finn asked, subconsciously rubbing his shoulder.

Maz looked at him, giving him a warm smile. "Why in my bar of course!"

* * *

"Damn." Reyana cursed under her breath.

Dead shrivelled yellow flowers decorated the invisible floor of the abyss. Having excelled well at fire magic and surprisingly well at ice magic after a while of experimenting with her powers Reyana turned her attention to earth.

Kylo had a feeling she would struggle with that particular element. After all she didn't really remember how beautiful the gardens in Naboo's spring.

He picked up one of the dead flowers, it promptly turned to ash underneath his fingertips.

The memory of them both in the palace gardens filled his mind. _One_ particular memory.

Neither of his parents cared enough to see that he was hurting, so he went to the gardens to find solace by crying alone. It disgusted him how weak he was in the past looking back now.

His father didn't understand him, even though she tried his mother didn't either. There was only really _one_ person who truly accepted for who he was back then.

Tears dripped down his flushed cheeks, splashing the yellow flowers underneath his feet like rainwater.

Stupid. Foolish. _Weak._

" _Ben?"_ he heard Reyana's voice from behind him. Her voice laced with concern.

His cheeks burned with shame and quickly rubbed them away before Reyana could see. It was too late, she already saw. He couldn't bear to look at her concerned hazel eyes, worried that she'll scold him for it. Like they would.

But she didn't. Without words she could tell what was wrong right away.

" _Are those guys picking on you again?"_ she sounded angry on his behalf. _'They think they can mess with the prince!"_

" _Don't. It doesn't matter."_ he pathetically told her in his whiny voice. _"They'll pick on me more, if a girl-"_

Naturally she looked slightly offended at this. But her eyes brightened up when an idea dawned in her head.

With a bright smile she clasped his hand. _"Leave it to me."_ Reyana tugged on his arm until he followed, with a sigh he did so.

She lead him straight to his honorary uncle Chewbacca, tearing apart a training dummy with his axe at the courtyard.

" _N-no."_ he wormed his way out of her grip. _"He'll tell father-"_

Reyana winked, putting a finger against her lips. _"Leave it to me."_ As soon as she said this, Reyana promptly burst into tears. The sound startled Chewbacca, bringing him to a stop.

" _Little ones?"_ he asked raising a bushy eyebrows in concern. His piercing blue eyes staring at the dramatic crying of Reyana. _"What's wrong?"_

Through the fake tears Reyana made out to Chewbacca that the bullies were picking on _her._ Prompting an extremely angry reaction.

" _Don't you worry."_ Chewbacca growled out through gritted teeth, patting her shoulders comfortingly. When he stormed past them Reyana flashed a smile at him.

When Chewbacca found the two boys that picked on him. He stormed over to them both and roared at them in a booming voice. He threatened to rip off their arms in gory detail if he heard they were picking on _anyone_ again.

Both the boys were far too frightened to correct the hulking hairy giant who their real target was. They never came near either of them again.

Reyana's mood turned perky and they returned to the garden. The golden flowers radiating a beautiful smell from all around them.

" _I don't like lying but they deserved what they got."_ Reyana firmly told him when they were alone. Her smile beamed at him, as warm as the sun.

He realised now that he never really thanked her for that.

"…So you were a little sensitive as a kid." Reyana's voice rang out in the black abyss.

Kylo looked at her in slight surprise. He had not intended to share his memories but with him focusing on creating the abyss he might have neglected to protect his own mind.

"I was weak then." he stated firmly. Kylo was ashamed that she saw him that way again.

Her expression became indescribable. Hazel eyes burned into him with a soft gaze.

"...I think I might be able..." Reyana mumbled to herself no longer focusing on him.

Breathing in softly her hand reached out in the black abyss, a green glow emitted and a patch of tiny flowers appeared on the invisible floor. Very small, very fragile looking but they weren't dead. That was improvement.

Reyana seemed relatively pleased at this. Kylo in turned was happy that she used his memory for something productive.

"You'll get better when the snow melts." he stated gazing at her almost happy expression. "When you experience the spring here again."

For a few moments she looked grateful at this statement. He wanted to capture that look on her face forever but like all good things it faded quickly.

"...I think that's enough for today." he muttered quietly, raising his hand. The black abyss faded away becoming the palace room once more. "If I could, I'd spend all day with you."

"Don't let me keep you from your duties." Reyana mumbled in a biting fashion.

He didn't let that bother him. "Next week perhaps you will join me in some important discussions." She looked very unimpressed at that. "But for now I'll send Threepio to give you a tour."

" _Threepio_?" Reyana raised her eyebrows. "That's a weird name."

Kylo smiled a secret smile. "I think you'll like him." He approached her, Reyana's body went on edge. His leather gloved hand caressed her soft skin of her cheek. "I will see you this evening."

He left still feeling the gaze of her hazel eyes staring at his retreating back.

* * *

On the edge of Tatooine's docks, an old shabby castle watched the passing ships go by. Apparently now being used as a unique looking bar.

As Poe and Finn were lead up to the castle, each patron made sure to keep out of Maz's way. The men that were Maz's entourage went about their own business upon reaching the bar.

"While Solo became king of Naboo, I became Pirate Queen of the desert seas for a while." Maz mused as she strolled through her busy establishment. "Now I run this bar," she added with a shrug her shrivelled brown eyes looked at an empty stray bowl on a table as she passed by.

"We'll have to hold off serving the fish stew now that _someone_ stole our fishing boat." she shot both of them an annoyed glare.

"...Yeah sorry about that." Finn apologised for that again.

"Holy shit!" Poe suddenly shouted starling Finn. His eyes brightened staring at a figure staring at the patrons. It had unnaturally bright blue eyes that stared out a helmet, its body was made out of sleek metal armour but no flesh was at all present.. "Is...is that a golem?"

Maz seemed amused at Poe's excitement. "Yes, that's Emmie. She used to serve the Mages of Light hundreds of years ago, nowadays she serves a bodyguard of sorts."

Finn doubted many patrons would cause trouble if a figure like that was lurking in the sidelines. It was big enough to cause massive damage if it wanted too.

The former Pirate Queen marched forward towards a table at the edge of the room. Motioned towards it with her head to the two. Her tiny arm leaned on the arm of the chair of a really hairy looking man and grinned up to him.

"Well, if it isn't my boyfriend?" she raised her non-existent eyebrows.

The man nearly choked on his drink. "Maz!"

"We're not in the mood Maz." the other older looking man grumbled slightly staring down at his drink.

Maz did not seemed phased in the slightest. "I think you might be interested in what these two have to say, Han." she indicated with her thumb with the two behind her.

He didn't look like what he expected to Finn.

"Hey, look. Not really in the mood to entertain fans or anything either." Han dismissed lightly.

"It's about the emperor." Finn was the first one to speak. "He's-"

Instantly this made the older man roll his tired brown eyes.

"If this is about revenge, rebellion or whatever you've got the wrong guy to talk to." the pirate king cut him off. "The guy might be a-"

"A real little shit." the hairy man finished for Han while sipping his beer.

"But he's still my son." Han sternly said glaring at his companion slightly.

"…He has Rey." Finn voice nearly dipped in a plea.

 **That** made the two men look at each other.

"Rey...as in _Reyana_?" the hairy man clarified. "Reyana _Kenobi_?"

"Yes. The same one." Poe nodded.

Han Solo shook his head slightly. "No, no. It can't be. She disappeared years ago, I'd thought if she was still alive we'd have heard about it by now."

"Han. What are the chances this is a coincidence?" the hairy one muttered to him gruffly.

"She described a man appeared in her dream. He told her to find you." Poe told them slowly. "That you'd know where he was. A man with a silver hand."

The hairy man shot Han a look that said 'I told you so.'

* * *

Kylo felt better with the mask on his face. When he entered his small council room his presence still commanded fear, this he felt relieved at.

On his council sat Captain Phasma, Talos Drelik, Thana Vesh and Bazine Netal.

They waited with cautious silence until he sat on his chair and then spoke with his deep voice. **"What is your report?"**

Talos Drelik cleared his throat before he spoke. "Ryloth requests your aid once again my lord. The people are once again starving."

" **Send preparations to send aid. But send a _gentle_ reminder to their king, that I graciously allowed him to remain on the throne. It reflects poorly on him that he gorges on food while his people starves." ** he stared at Talos. **"If he finds the burdens of command so difficult, we can relieve him of it."**

"The recruits of my unit are progressing well." Thana said almost pridefully.

The meeting went as dull as usual except for Bazine staring at him the entire time, a gleeful smirk plastered on her face the entire time.

With a nod he dismissed them all save for Bazine.

" **You seem eager on your report."** Kylo stated.

Her plum purple lips peeled back in a smile. "The birds have been chirping since your departure my lord." she said in her slightly accented voice. "The people already heard that you've brought back a female from your journey."

That happened more quicker than he had expected.

" **And?"**

Her heart hammered against her chest with fear, yet her confident smile never left her face. It was the one aspect that Kylo truly appreciated about her.

"The whispers merely are wondering who she is." she stated carefully. "Some believe that she's a commoner, others seem to think she's a slave and a few believe that she came from a betrothal."

" **What."** he asked in a deadly tone. **"Who dares? I will kill them where they stand."**

"Even the emperor of the world cannot stop the birds from singing." Bazine said in a wise tone. "No one truly important suspects this yet. But if I might ask just who is she?" she asked him in positive delight.

" **My betrothed. Reyana Kenobi."** he stated honestly.

Bazine raised her sleek black eyebrows. "Kenobi? That's a rare name these days."

" **She's a woman of noble birth, my future empress certainly not a prostitute."** he added the last part with a slight hiss.

" _I_ am not the one you need to clarify this too." Bazine smoothly said. "Whether they adore or fear you, your people look to you for guidance." her sharp nails tapped on the polished wood of the table.

"If they see their emperor treat his bride secrecy, they will treat her like she has something to hide. But if you treat her like an empress, they will respect her as one."

" **What is your suggestion?"** he asked quietly.

"A formal introduction, a gathering of nobles should nip that rumour in the bud." Bazine stated confidently.

He inwardly sighed. He hated those tedious gatherings, people with falseness and false flatteries. He suspected that Reyana would hate it even more than him. Yet, he would not be able to control himself if he were to hear these things for himself and that would not be fair to her either.

" **Make the arrangements."** he stated.

Her grin got slightly wider, almost cat like. "So. Tell me more about our future empress."

* * *

 **A/N: Again so sorry for the delay, please tell me what you guys think! I always love hearing from you.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm mighty happy for the reactions concerning Bazine. Originally she was going to appear far earlier. All the way back in Chapter Six in fact. Original draft had _her_ lead Rey to the Millennium Falcon. But I thought it was far too obvious it was a trap and changed it to Raina Temple instead.**

 **On with the story!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

Rey stared at the space where the flowers used to be. They disappeared along with the created abyss. She couldn't get over the boy Ben in the shared memory. A boy who was apparently the kindest she knew, who was so sensitive and quiet grew up into the feared emperor.

The emperor who killed many, who's harmed many.

How does that happen? What made that boy become that kind of man?

She felt sympathy, enormous pity for the crying boy. The boy, not the man he became she tried to convince herself.

"Hello?" a voice came from behind the door. It slowly creaked open revealing a suit of armour.

Rey took a step back. She realised it wasn't a guard but a suit of armour with glowing yellow eyes peering out of the helmet.

"Oh there you are, Lady Rey I take it?" the armour's voice did not suit it at all. It sounded rather foppish. "I am Threepio, your guide for the day!"

"Wait? Are you a...golem? An actual golem?" she smiled despite herself. Rey had never seen a golem up before!

The creature chuckled making the helmet bounce slightly. "Master Kylo said you would be interested in my design. But yes, I am a golem. Though I'd prefer to be called Threepio."

She looked at the shiny golden armour, the armour's pieces seemed to follow an invisible shape of a man with no body present at all. So many questions ran through her mind.

How was he made? Who designed him? How did his armour float along side him?

"Who..." Threepio's face was expressionless thanks to the helmet. "How were you made, Threepio?"

"Well my outer shell was designed around about a hundred years ago. This was the armour of a warrior that died in battle. I was personally made around seventy or so years in Tatooine." he seemed delighted that someone had an interest in him. "By my first master Anakin Skywalker."

Reyana stared at him. "As in Vader?"

"Oh yes. He became Vader in the later years." Threepio's voice became softer. "But he was only a boy when he made me."

The yellow glow of his eyes became slightly dimmer. Rey imagined that if he were human his eyes would be closed.

"And how did he make you?" she asked in a gentler tone feeling slightly guilty for bringing it up.

"Master Anakin was a slave back then. He found an old tome and used it to make me. He gathered the parts of my armour and cast his spell. Though I didn't come out the way he hoped."

Rey raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"My soul was one of a scribe, not at all of a warrior like he had hoped." Threepio mumbled disappointedly.

"...What do you mean soul?"

Threepio perked up at the subject. "Well. A soul is the one thing a mage cannot make create out of nothing, in order to create a golem. A mage has to reach into the spirit world and pull a piece of a soul to create one."

Rey looked at him horrified. Golems were created out of the spirits of dead people? There was a point in history where there were hundreds of golems. A child performed such a spell? Wasn't that a sign of things to come.

"Did...did it hurt?" she asked gradually.

Threepio chuckled slightly at this. "Oh no. It didn't hurt coming back at all. I don't really remember much of the old life I had before. Some memories are rather blurred, I remember my old skills and station. And then nothing."

That sounded rather sad to Rey but felt like she should not question him any further.

He bowed, much like a servant would. "Shall I give you a tour now my lady?"

Rey gave him a polite smile. "Yes, thank you Threepio."

* * *

"You've got your work cut out for you." Bazine bluntly said shortly after he finished his tale of Reyana. "The poor thing isn't going to warm up to you for a long time."

Her black nails tapped against the polished wood of the table, jade green eyes lost in thought.

" **I understand that I was perhaps hasty in tricking and trapping her."** Kylo stated in a short tone.

 _'To put it mildly.'_ were the words on the tip of her tongue. If he was anyone else, Bazine **would** have said that without a doubt. But she knew better to treat him too casually.

"If you were having problems with a woman, why did you not call for my advice my lord?" Her striking eyes staring at his mask. Piercing, like she was looking right through him.

Silently he looked at her, trying to smother up his shame. **"I believed that she would've willing gone with me, when she ran I wanted to know why. I did n** **o** **t have much time to reflect on my actions."**

 _'That is obvious.'_ the blunt thought crossed her mind like a flash of lightening but remained non-verbal. Bazine inhaled slightly. "Still, you're making the right steps towards winning her affection. Finding out the things she likes, asking her opinions etc."

Her nails started to sound like the ticking of a clock as ideas about the noble gathering began to flash in her mind. "Are you considering…?"

" **What?"**

She pressed an elegant finger to her temple. "Using mind magic to woo her? So to speak."

The young emperor glared at her and clenched his hand into a fist. **"No."** he answered with gritted teeth. **"If I wanted a woman with no consideration, I would've visited one of your brothels."**

Bazine owned three in total. One in Tatooine, one in Coruscant and one in Naboo. Inherited from her disgusting deceased husband.

She nodded with small understanding, her mind twisted in thought. "Then I'd recommend that she should make friends with very little influence from you."

He raised an eyebrow. Appearing only silent to her.

"A best way to a woman's heart is allowing her freedom, my lord." her plum lips peeled back into a knowing smile. Her head perked up and left the room like a strutting peacock. "That was a saying my grandmother said to me."

" **Bazine. About the person who talked about Reyana in such a degrading manner..."** his voice edged into an almost growl.

Bazine's expression became rather smug. Her eyes lit up. "I already have a source my lord. I'm sure that by this evening he'll spill everything." A malicious chuckle left her lips.

* * *

Threepio lead Rey in a dimly lit room, a chill ran down her spine when she saw what was on display. Mounted on the wall was a once white helmet, covered in rust. The hollowed eye crumpled down looking almost like a skull. Etched in a gold plated sign read: _General Grievous_.

The entire room displayed various items like this. Rusted armour, mounted helmets, mounted swords and different shaped objects behind glass cabinets.

 _'Creepy.'_ was Rey's first thought.

"I'm not going to find someone's skull on display am I?" Rey asked dubiously her eyes staring up at the battered looking helmet of Grievous.

"Of course not!" Threepio responded in almost an affronted tone. He went on to explain more evenly. "This is Master Ren's historical collection. A museum of sorts."

Her eyes lit up seeing the elegantly crafted sword mounted on the wall, the hilt ebony black that was shaped in a slight curve and most interestingly of all, the red glow that ebbed from the markings on the blade itself.

It was one of those enchanted swords like Rey had heard about in those stories. On the wall another gold plate read the words: _Count Dooku._ Her eyes traced the markings in a language long forgotten.

"The emperor normally collects dark mage items?" she asked Threepio in reluctant curiosity. Her gaze travelled to two similar looking swords crossed together to make an 'x' like shape. The name: _Asajj Ventress_.

"Oh not just dark mages my lady." Threepio stated simply. "Master Ren has collected various Mages of Light items as well."

"Really?" she raised an eyebrow at the golden golem. That surprised her.

"Oh yes." Threepio's tone indicated that he was delighted at her interest. He moved over to a set of glass shiny cabinets.

Rey crouched down to see various items all neatly displayed. There were a great many leather bound tomes each had a small note detailing what subject each one was. Her eyes travelled to a sleek bronze square, on each side a faint blue glow softly in a circle. When Rey examined closely she could see very tiny markings, not unlike the ones on the swords making up the circle.

"That's...really fascinating!" she praised genuinely. An idea popped into her head. "I wonder if..."

Her fingers latched on the gold handle of the cabinet.

"What are you doing?!" Threepio shrilly cried as she pried open the display. "Oh no! I'm sure Master Ren wouldn't-"

Rey delicately held the bronze square. "I just want a closer look." she raised her eyebrows at him. "Surely as the future Empress is allowed such things."

The golden armour shifted uncomfortably. "...Well…" he considered her for a moment and then bristled. "Just be careful!"

When her fingers traced the blue glow it felt strange, not uncomfortable but almost pleasant. Now it was closer to her she could hear it almost hum. She wondered why that was.

"What exactly is this?" she asked, checking the sides for a mechanism that opened it.

"Well...in the ancient past Mages of Light and Dark used to record important lessons and history on this bronze little squares. This is only one of the many that was created, I fear the others were lost to time I'm afraid."

"Can I open it?" she asked.

"It _can_ be opened using magic." Threepio stated in a strict tone. "But that doesn't mean-"

Rey gently tugged on the energy bubbling around the square. It floated gently out of her hands and cracked open. Revealing white light.

"Oh dear..." Threepio muttered woefully.

* * *

Rey was no longer in the Emperor's private collection. She whipped her head around to see Threepio but he was not present. It was a black abyss again but she was not alone.

An older man in long robes, the patterns on the silk were painstakingly detailed. His white beard was long and reached down into the floor. His striking green eyes bored into Rey.

" _Do you know what this is?"_ his voice strangely echoing. His wrinkled hand held up a sleek looking sword.

After a few moments of silence Rey realised he was talking to _her._ "It's just a sword."

" _Yes."_ he murmured. The sword left his hand and floated into the air, hovering above. _"A simple, mindless weapon."_

It clattered against the abyss floor and smashed into a thousand tiny shards. _"Any weapon can be easily broken and transformed into something_ _else."_

Another sword appeared in the air, this time the blade glowed a deep purple. _"What do you think this is?"_

"A sword." Rey stated cautiously.

" _No."_ the man firmly said. _"This is a mage's life."_

The sword dropped and embedded itself deeply in the abyss. _"It's enchantment_ _renders the blade indestructible."_

"Is that what the glowing markings are?" Rey asked the man.

" _Yes. **Our** language."_

The ancient language used by mages.

"How do you enchant them?" she asked feeling intensely curious.

The old man revealed a crystal, that glowed a light blue, with its end sharpened. _"This is a kaber crystal."_ Their surroundings transformed into a cave with several glowing crystals growing from the ground and the ceiling.

It was one of the most beautiful things Rey had ever seen and then it faded away.

" _A mage collects one and enchants their own sword."_ The image of a crystal painstakingly carving into a plain blade, the carvings glow as the crystal slowly dimmed. Until finally it reached the end of the blade and the crystal became dull and lifeless.

Rey heard the humming again. "Why does it sound like that? The humming?"

The old man looked at her, his face stoic. _"That the song of magic, the old ones. It calls, listens, tells. It longs to tell its own story, long to be used and become apart of our world."_

Rey looked at him confused. "I don't..."

White light engulfed her vision once more.

* * *

"Oh! Lady Rey are you all right?" Threepio used his cold metal hand to help her up.

The bronze square laid on the floor still glowing a slight blue. She brought a hand to her temple. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Try not to do that again." his voice laced with concern. Threepio then put the bronze square back into the cabinet.

A small smile drifted onto Rey's lips. "That was cool."

Threepio audibly sighed. "Shall I show you something else?" The golden golem lead her down another section of the room, Rey nearly flinched when she saw in a row several suits of armour all lifeless.

"Are these golems?" she asked staring up at the hollow eyes of a suit made of silver.

"Yes my lady," Threepio answered politely. "Though they are asleep for now."

Rey didn't even know that golems could sleep. "When will they wake up?"

"When Master Ren decides they should." Threepio said nonchalantly, though added when seeing her expression. "Sleeping for golems is rather peaceful, Lady Rey. These all previously belonged to Emperor Vader."

A question popped into her mind. "Has the emperor made any golems of his own?"

Threepio seemed a little hesitant to answer. "...Yes. When he was quite young."

"Where is it?" she asked a little curious. She immediately thought that the emperor would attempt to produce a golem tied to a huge piece of armour.

Threepio instead shuffled towards a glass cabinet, he reached in and brought out a necklace with a silver chain dangling from it was an orange gemstone. Pretty but otherwise unremarkable.

"His golem is...rather unique my lady. She tends to—Oh no." the gem glowed brightly and floated in the air.

Then the form of a little girl appeared, the necklace glowing brightly around her neck. Her eyes were also a bright orange as well but the rest of her form appeared to be a white transparent mist.

"Who are you?" she asked in a sweet voice titling her head in curiosity, staring up at Rey.

Threepio sighed again. "Bebe you are meant to _sleep_ until summoned." He told her in admonishment.

"I got bored." the golem named Bebe shrugged.

"Lady Rey, this is Master Ren's golem. Bebe." Threepio said in a gritted tone.

Bebe's face brightened up. "So _you're_ Reyana!" she stuck out her hand for a handshake. "Pleased to meet you! I've heard so much about you!"

Rey held the ghostly hand but it faded right through. She decided to entertain the child and pretend that she could. It seemed to please Bebe. She felt the need to crouch down to Bebe's level.

"So the emperor told you about me?" she asked slightly curious.

"Yep." Bebe responded with a smile. "Ever since I was first made."

"And when did he make you?" Rey asked her gently.

"Well Ben—I mean Kylo was eight or nine when he made me a golem. So..." her eyes glanced sideways in thought. "About seventeen years ago. I remember going to sleep in my bed and then suddenly I woke up attached to this necklace."

Rey felt her heart drop. The poor child died in her sleep. "Do...do you remember much of before?"

Bebe nodded enthusiastically. "Lots of things. I was the youngest of seven sisters. My family lived in a tiny house in a place called Stewjon. Have you heard of it?"

"Yes," Rey answered cautiously, her mind thinking back to the memorial back at the graveyard. "I have."

The ghostly child smiled obliviously. "When Kylo makes me human again, maybe I'll see it again."

Rey raised an eyebrow at this but felt a chill in the air. She turned to see the emperor enter, holding his mask underneath his arm looking happy to see her.

"Oh, Master Ren." Threepio acknowledged sounding slightly relieved he appeared when he did.

"I see you've met Bebe." he looked pleasantly surprised to see Bebe standing in front of Rey.

Bebe rushed to hug the emperor's leg, of course her arms ghosted through. For a moment Kylo looked uncomfortable but then placed his leather gloved hand on where her hair would be. It was remarkably tender.

"You haven't seen me in ages!" Bebe exclaimed looking slightly crossed but behind her anger held a layer of sadness Rey observed.

Kylo seemed to acknowledge this too. "I know, I am sorry." he quietly said. His dark eyes looked her apologetically. "I need to talk to Rey, you can explore around if you like."

Bebe perked up at this and ran out the room squealing in excitement. Her necklace bobbing up and down as she did so.

The emperor turned to Threepio. "Keep an eye on her will you?"

Hurriedly the golden armoured golem rushed out the room to catch up with the ghostly child. "Wait a minute! Oh, oh dear!"

"…Bebe is really remarkable." Rey admitted softly.

Kylo looked at her in slight surprise. "Yes, she's certainly unique. Will you walk with me Rey?"

Rey gave him a silent nod and stepped alongside him out into the corridor. After a few moments of silence it was the emperor who spoke first.

"Bebe is the only golem I've ever made. I don't plan to make more."

For once Rey did not doubt him.

"How come she can remember things, when Threepio cannot?" Rey asked him.

His eyebrows furrowed together. "I believe its something do with the motive. The motive of the mage that makes a golem. My grandfather, since he was a child when he made Threepio his intentions were muddled. Perhaps he wanted something to sell to buy him and his mother out of slavery, something intelligent. Yet at the same time, he might've wanted his master **dead**. Hence the armour."

Rey gave him a look.

"Slavery _was_ particularly harsher back then."

"And what was _your_ motive creating Bebe?" Rey asked him. She felt completely confused at this. "You didn't intend for her to be a warrior, or a scholar. She's just a child."

Kylo looked slightly embarrassed. "I knew I wanted to experiment with magic. At that time I had only _just_ discovered my magic. But I think I wanted another friend at the same time. The experience of dipping in the spirit world however," he seemed to shudder slightly. "I would not attempt it again. It was most unpleasant."

Rey wanted to know what he meant but the emperor's expression was rather intense.

"That was my mother's necklace I used to bind Bebe. I…didn't want her to find out about her."

"Did she?" Rey asked him.

Kylo's expression shifted from surprise to understanding. "Ah, right you don't remember. That was the reason I was sent to my uncle Luke for training. Too much of my grandfather in me they said." His dark eyes seemed to flash in anger.

Rey felt a sudden stab of sympathy for him. Yes, she still felt that making golems was wrong but...he was still just a boy. He seemed very lonely as a child. The adults in his life should have questioned _why_ he felt the need to do such a thing rather than just dismiss him.

She felt so confused. This man was a bloody paradox. "I don't understand you." Rey finally said in frustration.

He turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"You're a cruel tyrant that conquered other nations but you try to be fair, I mean you could've killed Poe and Finn bur you didn't. You look frightening and imitating with the mask, yet around me your gentle and soft spoken." Her hazel eyes burned into his dark ones. "You destroyed your uncle's temple of Light." This earned a flinch from him. "Yet you preserve history of light magic. I just don't get it."

"Who says I can't be all of them?" Kylo asked her in a soft tone. "Life isn't black and white. I'm not some evil villain cackling in the dark, I had my reasons for the things I've done. And I'm not going to treat my future Empress cruelly am I?" he let his leather gloved hand caress her face.

She stared up at his dark eyes feeling, his gaze almost magnetic.

"I believe that history and magic should be preserved. _All of it._ But Mages of Light were an outdated religion with many inconsistencies...as for my uncle's attempt of recreating them..." he looked troubled. "I care not to discuss it now but I shall one day."

Not all black and white, she was beginning to see this was the case now.

"Oh by the way, I am hosting a noble's gathering by the end of this week." he stated with some reluctance. "Do you enjoy parties?"

"I've never been to one." she admitted. "So I don't know."

He grimaced. "Personally, I hate them. But with you it'll be far more bearable."

Rey smiled a little at that.

* * *

 **Rey is now starting to understand Kylo isn't simply an evil tyrant. In order for her to love him, I felt it was important for her to _get_ Kylo first. Those little tiny yellow flowers in the last chapters were symbolic.**


	12. Chapter 11: Extra

**Hi! Because of the length of the last chapter, I had to cut out this scene but I'm leaving it here as an Extra scene.**

 **Warning: This chapter contains violence and mild torture.**

* * *

The sweet smell of roses and lavender filled the air of the ruby red walls of the brothel. A choir of lustful moans echoed through the long corridors of closed doors. These sounds comforted Bazine, allowing the warmth of the room engulf her as one of her girls clicked the outside door shut. Shielding them from the bitter winter's night.

Her plum lips peeled back into a playful smirk when her eyes caught the sight of beautiful azure skin. The elven beauty blushed making her cheeks a darker shade of blue. Bazine gently gripped her lover's chin, her thumb feeling her satin soft skin.

"Tivva, darling." Bazine's whispered huskily. "How are things?"

"Business has been steady, as usual. But your guest is still in the lower quarters." Tivva stated dutifully, her icy blue eyes gazing lovingly at Bazine. "One of the girls has a message for you."

Bazine kissed her, yearning for her lover's touch once more. It was not an innocent kiss but one of passion, hot and fiery. One of hungry desire.

No. The spymaster had a job to do, she could make up for lost time later. She pulled away, fearing of losing herself.

"Bazine..." Tivva whispers, the sweetest voice to say her name.

"We shall make up for lost time later my darling," Bazine muttered earnestly and added with an affectionate wink. "Tonight."

Tivva flashed a small smile at her while she walked away. They had not been together for very long, but Bazine felt that she had been with the elven beauty for years not months.

Bazine briskly moved towards the lower quarters but stopped in one of the long corridors. A sound reached her ears, the sound of a loud smack followed by a whimpered woman's shriek. She recognised that voice.

It was not one of her more _adventurous_ clients, it sounded like one of her newer girls.

Frowning, Bazine stormed over to the door where the sound came from and listened closely.

"Stupid _**bitch**_! I'm not paying for this, _you're_ not worth the price!" a nasty despicable voice hissed.

Bazine swung the door open. She saw the sight of a beefy looking man towering over one of her girls who was half naked. A bright red mark over her tear stained cheek, the man's hand raised as if to hit her again.

"Is there a problem here?" she asked, her voice icy and bitter.

The man swivelled around to face the spy master, his voice blustered. " _Thirty_ gold for this slut?! I'm **not** paying!"

"Oh forgive me," Bazine stated calmly. "You're under the impression that pay is _optional._ It is not."

His face turned from red to purple. Stepping closer to her with his finger raised. "This **bitch** wasn't even that good! Now I demand-"

"Luna, darling." Bazine's cold voice cut off the vile man's bluster. "Did he hit you for pleasure? Did you sign up for that dear?"

The newer girl raised the blue satin sheet to cover her breasts and whimpered in a small voice. "No. No he didn't, I didn't want-"

"She's a whore!" the man blustered again. "Who cares what she wants!"

The one rule of her brothel, none of her girls or men did anything that they weren't comfortable with.

" _If_ you wanted that sort of thing sir," Bazine's glared at the man. "My girls would have happily set you up with a woman of submissive delights but you still have to pay."

The man towered over Bazine, his finger close to her face. He reminded her of her late husband.

"Do you know who _I_ am? I'm **Amal** **Tian**. My reputation will destroy-"

Bazine whipped out the pistol from her belt and shot him in the shoulder replacing his spiel with a groan of agony. Luna shrieked in horror. He haunched over clutching the wound, blood spilling over his hand.

"Your first mistake _Amal_ was harming one of my girls." Bazine growled out in fury.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak again but fell to his knees when she shot him in the leg. Bazine looked at the frightened girl cowering in the corner, finger still on the trigger.

"Darling, I'm sorry you had to see that." she said quietly. "Please wait outside."

The poor girl didn't need be asked again as she rushed out, satin sheets still covering her naked chest.

Bazine swung her leg back and kicked the man in the face. Forcing to fall flat on his back, blood oozing out of each of his wound. The spy master straddled him and put the barrel of her pistol against his sweating forehead.

"Your second mistake..." she spoke more casually now. "Is thinking that I give a **shit** about who you are. I _know_ who you are, you're the son of a second rate noble in Tatooine. Well-known womaniser, an embarrassment to your elderly uncle."

Fast as lightening she whipped out her knife from her belt with her free hand. The candle made the blade glint sinisterly, his eyes wide as dinner plates. A sadistic grin graced her lips as the tip of the blade teased the wound around his leg. He hissed in pain.

"Messing with me. Will be you **last** mistake."

He attempted to hold up his hands. Wincing slightly. "...I don't have-"

Bazine dug the knife in the wound making him moan in pain. After a moment of silence she twisted the knife, making him shriek.

"Wrong answer." she stated quietly.

"Okay! Okay! I'll—I'll give you thirty gold!" his lip wobbled pathetically.

"It's now **sixty** , for compensation."

He looked unhappy with that but eyed up her knife, he nodded frantically. She flicked the knife out of his wound making him whimper. He scrambled to place a leather pouch on the marble floor, far more than she asked for.

The man limped to the door, Bazine lazily watched him go. But he just _had_ to give a last word.

"Suppose that's what whores are for." he hissed.

A loud bang echoed in the room, the splattered remains of his head decorated the ruby walls. His corpse flopped to the floor like a dead fish. Bazine stepped over his body and wiped the blood off her knife onto his pristine shirt. She put away her pistol and knife, then gather the gold.

"Asshole." she muttered disdainfully.

Poor Luna was pale with fear but dutifully awaited her out in the corridor.

"My dear, thank you for waiting." Bazine stated, she placed thirty gold pieces in Luna's shaking hand. "Take a few days off and get a cleaner to deal with him. I'll talk with security later."

Luna nodded, still looking quite shaken. The spymaster had trust that her cleaners would cut up his pieces so small no one would be able to find them. One of them was the widow of a butcher and excellently performed this job well.

Bazine marched over the lower quarters, the candles from the swinging chandelier was the only source of light. It created an ominous feeling. One of her girls approached her with candle in hand.

"Lady Bazine," the girl's soft voice graced her ears. "We have the information."

"Excellent." Bazine praised. "How did you do it?"

The girl grinned sharply. "The man's sister told me an interesting story, on how he became afraid of fire because of an accident. So I **burned** him. Several times."

"What was the name?" she asked her informant.

"Turns out it was Armitage Hux spreading the nasty little rumour."

 _Hux._ That nasty little fox.

Her informant indicated to the man held up in chains up against the wall. "What should we do with him?"

"Let him run back tail between his legs to his master." Bazine said with a smirk. "Let him know, I know."

After all Hux is going to be a guest at the noble gathering, it'll make things most...interesting.

* * *

 **A/N: Originally Bazine was going to be the one torturing the man at the end but I think it shows her nature a bit more when she deals with random conflict. She's true to her own morals, yet get on her bad side and you might decorate the walls.**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thank you very much for your lovely reviews, regarding my last post. I try and make every single character the hero of their own story, different types of heroes but heroes none the less. No one truly sets out to be the evil villain.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve**

" _I hate the king."_ younger Rey spitefully stated her hazel eyes glowering at the man at the head of his table. Rey found her venom quite surprising. The king drank from his golden goblet, the queen stared to the side distantly.

Her younger self sat at the dining table, her golden fork stabbing her meat viscously. A girl similar of age with pale reddish hair pulled back in a bun looked at her in slight shock.

" _You can't possibly mean that!"_ the girl said in a hushed voice. _"Only bad people hate the king."_

Younger Rey hotly glared at her meal but her lip wobbled slightly as she muttered. _"He didn't even let me say goodbye to Ben."_

The king looked at her, he flashed her a charming grin. Younger Rey did not return it, her glare intensifying. It wiped away the smile and made the older man look away. He brought the golden goblet to his lips.

Younger Rey clenched her fists, a very faint red glow surrounded her hand.

Then the goblet smashed into shards flying everywhere, the spontaneous action make the king cough slightly. Red wine spilled down the king's chin and stained the white table cloth.

All eyes in the dining room were on younger Rey, her lip wobbled slightly. With a scrape of her chair, younger Rey stormed out of the room.

As soon as she left, Rey's surroundings melted away. Now she was in a bedroom, younger Rey's cheeks were wet and puffy.

Someone harshly knocked on the door, the younger Rey looked up to see her mother swing the door open. Her mother, Katala looked angrier than she had ever seen in her visions. Cool blue eyes glared at the young child.

" _What were you thinking Reyana?!_ " Katala hissed at her daughter. " _In front of everyone?! Performing magic against the king!"_

Younger Rey crossed her arms, although her eyes were tearing up she muttered. _"It was_ _ **just**_ _a goblet._ _He's the king, he can buy another."_

This attitude infuriated Katala, her finger getting close to her daughter's face. _"I_ _don't care if he has a thousand goblets! You don't do that to_ _ **royalty**_ _! You're lucky he's a family friend!"_

" _He's no friend of mine!"_ the younger Rey snarled up at her mother taking her by surprise. _"Friends don't send other friends away!"_

Katala sighed deeply, rubbing her temple. _"This is about Ben isn't it? Rey..."_

" _He didn't even let him say goodbye!"_ youngerRey's voice broke slightly. _"Its..."_

Her mother became much more sullen now, she limply sat next to her young daughter. Blue eyes becoming distant.

" _I know its unfair."_ Katala admitted solemnly. _"I know you care for him dearly now,"_

" _He's my best friend."_ Young Rey tearfully muttered. Tear ran down her cheeks, she eventually glared at the wall. _"I hate him, I hate the king."_

" _Do you really mean that?"_ Katala asked pointedly, her eyes studying her young daughter.

Younger Rey didn't look at her mother. _"...No. I just..."_

" _It was a hard for **them** as well."_ Katala told her child. _"It's not an easy decision to send away your own child for their own good. But they made the right choice."_

The younger Rey looked up at her mother. _"But he didn't do anything **wrong**!"_

" _Rey he made a **golem!** " _Katala muttered exasperated.

" _He didn't_ hurt _anyone."_ Younger Rey stubbornly said.

Her mother rubbed her temple with her slender fingers like the conversation was hurting her. _"Making a golem is a very powerful dark spell, it isn't like simply breaking goblets when you're angry. **Vader** started his dark path that way."_

" _If it was wrong, why didn't they explain why it was so bad?"_ younger Rey inquired. " _Ben wouldn't do anything wrong on purpose."_

Katala didn't have an answer for that, being quiet for a few moments before answering. _"I'm not his mother. Its for the best, for everyone."_

This didn't please the younger Rey, she firmly had her arms crossed staring at nothing. Her mother looked sullen, her eyes look tired and seemed very sad. Though Rey doubted it was because of Ben.

" _I'll never see him again."_ little Rey muttered.

" _Don't be silly,"_ Katala admonished lightly. _"He'll come at summer, for special occasions. Eventually he'll come back when he's finished his training."_

Suddenly younger Rey's hazel eyes brightened up. Clearly an idea came to her. _"Mother, **you're** going to Luke's school aren't you?"_

" _No, Rey."_ Katala stated firmly. _"You're not going there. Only **I** will teach you magic."_

A few moments of silence passed by before the young Rey muttered in a bitter voice. _"Father would've allowed it."_

Katala looked like she had been slapped. Her piercing blue eyes bored into her child's. Younger Rey looked ashamed of herself instantly.

Rey suddenly remembered what Kylo had said. That her father had died when she was young. He must have been dead by now, judging by the reaction of her mother.

Inhaling deeply, her mother stated solemnly. _"You're right, he would have. Fine."_ Swiftly Katala left the room without any anger but pure sadness. The younger Rey flinched when the door slammed shut. A faint sob could be heard on the other side of the door.

The young Rey looked thoroughly upset, tears spilling down her face again. And then suddenly her little head rose up and looked around, like she thought someone else was there.

" _Ben?"_ the young Rey questioned, a smile drifted on her face.

When Rey woke up a chill ran down her spine.

* * *

Kylo opened his eyes. A suffocating stale smell brought him back to the dark room, melted candles blazed and flickered against the black. He felt his master's presence an icy grip over his shoulder.

" _ **Anything enlightening, my disciple?"**_ the eerie voice echoed in his mind.

His dark eyes stared into the darkness and mumbled softly. "Seems like I shared a vision with Reyana."

" _ **Understandable, you're destinies are tied after all."**_ his master murmured.

Kylo could almost see his master's spider black eyes that lurked in the darkness study him and probe his thoughts. He did not flinch, he stared back with his spine straight. He showed his strength.

"It was a simple vision." he stated. "Just of Reyana and her mother, nothing more. And when I..."

He felt his master grin. _**"A simple dream that holds more answers than you think my disciple. Though if you bring your betrothed to me, we would have**_ **more** ** _."_**

"She is not ready my lord." Kylo instantaneously answered, he continued with passion lacing his voice. "I need her to trust me completely before I show her the true power of the dark arts."

" _ **Very wise."**_ his master responded though somewhat displeased. **" _Remember to let your caring for her empower you and_ not weaken _you._ _Remember how love empowered your grandfather."_**

His grandfather held the image of his beloved wife in his mind as he brought the world to its knees, he brought an order to chaos like Kylo did. Strength did not lie in light.

Yet he felt happier than ever remembered in the last week than he had been in his life. He wanted that feeling to last forever, to protect it. To protect _her._ Was this how Vader felt?

Finally he muttered. "I understand master."

" _ **You are dismissed, its seems like you have a gathering to attend to."**_ His master let out a small dark chuckle.

* * *

The winter's chill breezed into the carriage from the small open window. Taelia Hux stared dreamily into the snow covered countryside of Naboo and white hills. Armitage supposed that he could understand his sister's fascination, the scenery was a far cry from the city landscape they were used too.

Their father's stare was far colder than the air. His icy blue eyes locked on his daughter.

"Close the window." Brandol Hux instructed her.

Taelia pursed her lips but did not dare argue with him as she snapped the window shut. She took to lacing her fingers through her red hair, almost huffily.

A few moments of silence passed before Brandol spoke, his tone always spoke with authority even when speaking casually. "I suppose _you're_ looking forward to the gathering."

"Why should I be? The emperor is introducing _his future wife._ " Taelia muttered adjusting her white fur collar. "Some _woman_ who hasn't even been around for the last fourteen years...if she is who she says she is."

Brandol's mouth curled upwards in an amused sneer. Never a good sign. " _ **Interesting**_ you say that. I have been...hearing certain things." His icy eyes studied both of them. "About a rumour floating around, it seems that _someone_ has speculating that the emperor's bride is a _**whore**_."

Both Armitage and Taelia avoided the accusing gaze of their father.

"Whether you meant it seriously or not. Our Emperor is not pleased." Brandol coolly told them both. "You _will_ be on your best behaviour at the gathering."

"The emperor should be more grateful to us." Armitage boldly said, Taelia looked at her brother in slight worry. "Without us where would he be? Yet, he tossed Taelia aside like she was nothing."

"Don't be a **fool**." Brandol snarled his face very close to his son's. "Know when to pick your battles _boy._ Especially regarding the _**imagined**_ relationship between him and your sister."

Taelia gasped dramatically. "I'm sure if it wasn't for _her_ he'd-"

" _Enough._ " Brandol rolled his eyes at his daughter and then hissed. "I would have never suggested a match between you and the emperor if I'd known you'd act like a blithering idiot."

She sharply inhaled, her azure eyes becoming slightly wet.

"You didn't have a problem persisting the match before the last few weeks." Armitage muttered very quietly.

His father's hand whipped out and struck against his son's cheek, a nasty red mark appeared on his pale skin. Brandol's finger close to Armitage's face. " **Don't** test me boy. You haven't the subtlest idea how to climb the ladder to power well. The only reason you're still _alive_ is me."

Armitage clenched his fist but did not say anything or look at his father in the eye.

* * *

Rey clenched her teeth when the handmaidens pulled the strings on her corset, when they lavishly combed back her now silky hair and pinned each piece of jewellery on her. The way they silently focused on making the future empress look presentable, she felt like she going to _war_ not a social gathering.

Dark blue silken fabrics hugged her shape, intricate designs sewn in golden thread climbed up her form. A heavy gold necklace with a glittering sapphire hung from her neck. Finally they placed a golden tiara upon her head.

"You look so pretty!" Bebe gushed from behind her, glowing orange eyes gazing at her.

Rey smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you, Bebe." Though it did not really ease her nerves.

A polite knock broke her thoughts. "Rey, can I come in?" the voice of Kylo asked.

The handmaidens paused, they stared up at her waiting for her response. Rey gave a nod and a smile at one of them. One of them hastily opened the door, the tall dark form of the emperor stepped forward. His metallic mask grasped underneath his arm.

"I would like to talk to Lady Rey alone." Kylo stated in a quiet but commanding voice.

The handmaidens bowed and swiftly left. Bebe stayed hovering slightly in front him. The young emperor raised an eyebrow at the ghostly child trying to suppress his smirk.

"That includes you, Bebe." he said not unkindly. "Go find Threepio."

Bebe huffed slightly but obeyed, the door shut with a click.

"How are you feeling?" Kylo asked Rey, his dark eyes gazing up at her.

Nervous. "I'm okay," Rey stated. "Though is it normal for nobility to treat parties like its a war?"

The emperor actually chuckled at that but quickly covered his laugh with a cough. "It _might_ be seen as that way for nobles, yes. Nobles tend to test others for weaknesses, for exploits." His voice turned more serious. "Though no one would dare to harm you, not when I'm here."

Rey raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to be with me the entire evening?" The emperor had nothing but kind to her since her arrival in Naboo. In truth his presence would not be completely unwelcome.

"Not if you do not want me too." Kylo answered. "I wanted to show you a spell, a mind reading one."

"Show me," she said. Though she may not admit it, Rey did value his teachings regarding magic. She had learned more with him than she would've ever done on her own.

Her heart thumped against her chest when he stepped forward and brushed his leather gloved fingers against her temple. His touch gentle.

"Focus." he stated. "On the sounds around you. Nothing is ever silent."

She closed her eyes, she listened to the sound of the wind blowing against the glass of the window, the crackle of the fire and the footsteps of servants outside in the corridor. She felt their energy as they bustled pass performing their duties.

"Now focus on one person." there was mild pride laced within Kylo's voice.

She did, she focused on one servant's energy. The servant carried something in their hands.

"Look inside her head," Kylo instructed. "Try and do it gently."

Unsteadily she reached into the servant's mind, like she was looking into a mirror. She could tell what the girl looked like now, dark hair plaited down her waist, her face filled with concentration as she bustled past the hallway carrying a basket of flowers.

Her thoughts were quiet and quick.

 _'I wonder how much I make today. Hasn't been a gathering in ages, bound to be at least one decent noble that would leave a little extra for the help.'_ the feeling of excitement washed over the young servant.

"I hear her." Rey stated to Kylo opening her eyes. "But I heard people's thoughts before...back in the slave market...without this."

"You were frightened. Mages are more susceptible with strong emotions like that," he said. "With practise it'll come easily to you."

"And what better practise than a room full of people?" Rey smirked lightly.

Kylo flashed a smile. "Indeed. One more thing. Focus on my mind. Try and talk to me with your mind."

 _'Can you hear me?'_ Rey mentally asked Kylo unsure.

 _ **'Yes. If you feel uncomfortable or in trouble contact me like this. I**_ **will** ** _be there.'_** Kylo told her.

The emperor placed his metallic black mask on his face, Rey noticed that the silver decorating the forehead of the mask strongly resembled a crown. It still did not make her feel comfortable.

He stretched out his arm for her to take. "Shall I introduce you now?"

"Yes." she stated somewhat confidently, linking his arm with hers.

* * *

Complex detail of circles, suns and moons were dedicatedly carved in the stone of the high ceilings of the palace room. Evidence previous history of devotion to the religion of Light. The hall was enormous, grand statues of fierce beasts staring down the guests. Every candle within illuminated the room with a dreamy golden glow.

It was beautiful. Rey had never seen so many people with such lavish outfits in one room. Clashing colours of clothes weaved in different directions as they danced and mingled in vague excitement. A gentle tune played with with strings softly played in the background.

A man's clear voice cut through the air and ceased the music. "Ladies and gentlemen. Introducing our supreme ruler Emperor Kylo Ren and future empress Reyana Kenobi."

Rey felt the piercing gaze of everyone present in the room. Kylo gently guided her as she slowly descended down the long staircase. Then suddenly plunged into the unknown, unsure what they expected her.

At first when they both reached the bottom of the stairs, the nobility were silent. Unsure whether or not they should speak.

"My lady Kenobi!" a fond voice carved through the silence.

A tall woman delicately eased her way through the crowd until she was right in front of her. The woman was of similar age to Rey, a much older man followed slightly behind her. Her hair was pale shade of red, pulled back into a high bun.

"I'm not sure if you remember me," the woman genuinely smiled at her. "We were friends as children,"

 _ **'Her name is Lady Elara Dorne. Do you remember her?'**_ Kylo helpfully told her telepathically.

"Yes, I remember." Rey smiled, somewhat awkwardly at the tall woman. Recalling her dream of the younger child that sat next to her in the dining hall.

Elara looked grateful at that, she leaned forward and hugged her. Uncertainly Rey returned it, she noticed that a wave of mixed reactions descended among the crowd. Some smiled, some looked very disappointed, others looked slightly angry.

Kylo gestured to the musicians and the strings soothingly began again. Elara hooked her arm around hers and lead her away from the emperor. "We have so much to catch up on my old friend,"

Rey on her part felt slightly grateful of a friendly face other than Kylo or Bebe. Though couldn't totally shake the uneasy feeling around her.

* * *

Kylo watched Reyana being lead away in the crowd by Elara Dorne. Glad that she quickly made a companion other than himself. His gaze on the people was felt, he dared them to say anything else.

For now it was proven that Reyana was truly the Kenobi heir. As the Dorne family were at one point close friends of the Kenobi family. If she was an imposter, _they_ would know.

Through the crowd he spotted the Hux family, lingering to the side. The Hux girl, Taelia looked deeply disappointed, Kylo found her an annoyance but knew she was harmless. Brandol mind seemed to weave about how he could turn this situation into his advantage.

The emperor begrudgingly owed much to Brandol but the old man knew that if pushed, Kylo would have no problem snapping the man's neck.

Finally, Armitage Hux his icy blue eyes surged in hatred towards him and Reyana. He found the man somewhat amusing, he had no problem showing his displeasure. His face was easily readable. Just as ambitious as his father, yet not nearly as subtle.

He was one to watch and Kylo _will_.

* * *

 **A/N: Ominously I will say every chess piece is now into play. Every character I needed to introduce is now present. Though admittedly I did debate whether or not to include Taelia Hux but since she was going to be mentioned either way, I left her in. She's important in regards to the Hux family.**

 **Elara was hinted at in Chapter 8. Lady Dorne, Elara's mother was mentioned.**

 ***Hums Ballroom Blitz***

 **Side note: Kylo covering up his chuckle with a cough was inspired by Fenris from Dragon Age II.**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen**

The mood of the room was somewhat jovial, people swirled around the soothing melody. There were hearty chuckles and pleasant chatter amongst one another.

Yet, everyone felt guarded, a degree of falseness. Like each and everyone wore their own faces like masks. It certainly didn't help that Rey saw the storm soldiers nearby but the Emperor's guards as well.

The Emperor's guards, also known as the Knights of Ren had ghoulish black armour. Their ebony helmets modelled after the emperor's mask, looking strikingly like their leader. One could easily mistake the emperor for his own guards, but perhaps that was the point. To make people uncertain if it was one or the other. One can try and act up in front of a knight but in front of the emperor himself? That would be a bad idea.

Thankfully there was only a handful of them compared to the storm soldiers. Still, their energies felt different compared to other peoples. It unnerved Rey.

Elara gently lead her much closer to the musicians, until the once soothing melody drowned and dulled Rey's senses. The woman's mind seemed to indicate that she was fearful of being heard and unable to go to a quiet spot.

"Are you all right?" the voice whispered in Rey's ear. "Has the emperor harmed you?"

This the first person to ask this since her arrival in Naboo. The woman's earnest concern momentarily stunned Rey.

"I'm...fine. He hasn't harmed me," Rey answered honestly.

Elara let out a relived sigh. "Thank the Maker, when I heard the emperor caught you…I admit, I thought of the worst." The woman's mind indicated she believed Rey to become more of a concubine or a slave than an empress.

"He has treated me very well, I can't complain." Rey admitted.

Elara did not look entirely convinced but said nothing more on the subject. "It must strange, coming back to Naboo after all this time."

Rey chuckled slightly. " _Strange?_ That's an understatement. I barely remember this. It doesn't even feel like my home," her hazel eyes stared at the dancing nobles behind her. "Though I _know_ that it was."

"You were young when you left." Elara softly assured her. "Even if you did remember, much has changed since we were children."

Rey eyes stared over to the emperor. "I know that."

"There are only a few people here to really watch out for." she murmured to her, gazing around her vigilantly. "The Hux family is one of them."

The future empress raised an eyebrow at that. "Who are they?"

Elara indicated to a group of three. A young woman and man close to Rey's age and a much older male. The old man was quite large, the buttons on his shirt seemed to be strained. His hair completely grey and thin. He looked around sharply with his pale blue eyes, his hooked nose in the air. The girl expression read disappointment, she gulped down wine from her silver goblet like it was water. Her blue eyes shooting daggers at her direction every now and then.

A female servant, nearly tripped near the man. His eyes pierced into the servant looking enraged.

"You stupid bitch." he hissed at the poor girl who looked down, away from him. "A few steps closer and you would have ruined my attire!"

The servant mumbled an apology, yet it did not appease the man. "Stupid filth." he sneered in a heated way.

"Oh Armitage," his sister nudged him slightly clumsily. "Leave the poor girl alone."

The man named Armitage looked offended to share the same air with the servant but kept his mouth shut, glaring as she walked away. Rey quickly decided that she did not like him.

"Brandol, Armitage and Taelia Hux." Elara muttered in Rey's ear. "They're a high born family from Arkanis. Seem to do everything in their grasp to grab at more wealth and power. Annoying, vile people."

Rey nodded slightly. "Anyone else?"

"Bazine." Elara muttered glaring at an empty space on the floor.

"What's wrong with her?" Rey asked curiously.

"She works for the emperor, money orientated too. It's what she does for it that's not right." Elara looked slightly embarrassed. "Bazine is…a flesh peddler."

"...Does mean she sells people for money?" Rey asked slightly confused, her mind drifting back to the slave market.

"No she-"

"What Elara is referring too," a clear voice cut through Elara's. A woman wearing mostly black walked towards them both, her heels clicked against the floor like each step was a thoughtful move. "Is the fact that I own three brothels,"

The pale red haired woman thoroughly embarrassed, she then shot Bazine a nasty glare. "We are having a private conversation."

"Really? In the middle of the ballroom?" Bazine raised a black eyebrow. "Curious, that doesn't _sound_ like privacy to me."

Elara silently stared at the woman, Bazine looked thoroughly amused by her indignation. Plum shaded lips curling up into a smirk.

"I wanted to speak to Lady Kenobi on her own, if you don't mind." Bazine stated moving closer to Rey.

"We very well **do** mind." Elara hissed at the woman. Rey was unsure whether or not to interfere, she decided to leave them both alone.

Bazine rolled her eyes slightly. "Why don't you go talk to your brother?" She indicated with her sharp fingernail towards a Knight of Ren leaning on the side of the wall, staring at them. "He _is_ the one that's staring right at you correct?"

"I..." Elara looked away. "I will talk to you later Reyana."

The woman in black watched the other woman leave seemingly satisfied. Her attention then focused on Rey.

"My dear it is good to meet you at least," she smiled earnestly offering her hand for Rey to shake. "I've heard many things about you."

Rey uncertainly took the other woman's hand. "Good things I hope," she quipped.

"Darling, we would not be having this conversation otherwise." Bazine chuckled patting her hand.

That sounded incredibly ominous. Though, if she were a threat Kylo would have warned her.

"Your accent," Rey couldn't help but point out. "You're from the Desert Lands, aren't you? From Er'kit?"

Bazine paused, looking momentarily stunned before replacing her expression with a smile. "My Lady Rey is most astute. Indeed I did hail from Er'kit originally."

Bazine then hooked her slender arm around Rey's, walking through the busy crowd. "I must say, I look forward to having another woman around the palace."

They walked past a storm solider with silver armour, Bazine smiled at them. "Evening Phasma."

The storm solider grunted and muttered a very faint. "Whore."

A small chuckle left Bazine's plum lips unfazed by the insult. The slightly older woman guided her to a glass door that lead out to a balcony. The cool night air kissed Rey's slightly tanned skin.

"I will not take too much of your time, my lady." Bazine stated as she clicked the door shut. "I just wanted to talk to you alone."

Instinctively, Rey guarded herself. "What is it?"

Bazine casually leaned her black gloved arms on the faint snow covered balcony edge, looking at the shadowed gardens below them both. Her expression slightly softened. "How are you finding things my dear? Truthfully."

"It's all so...strange." Rey admitted, she was met with a small smile.

"I understand, I know what you must be going through." Bazine stated.

Rey couldn't help but state in small disbelief. "Oh really?"

"Yes," Bazine smiled her eyes understanding. "My first husband, he spotted me in the market square back in Er'kit." Her voice dipped in hatred. "He was _**enthralled**_ by my beauty and just _**had**_ to have me." She looked at Rey. "I'm sure that sounds familiar?"

An ashamed blush raged against Rey's cheeks. "I'm-"

"Do not be." Bazine cut off. "Like I said, I've been where you are now. Though the emperor has confided in me, that he did not originally intend to kidnap you."

Rey raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently he thought you'd be willing to go with him. When you ran, it...threw him off." Bazine seemed to think carefully about her words.

"Rather presumptuous of him, isn't it?" Rey stated.

The other woman smirked. "Most men are. At the very least, he's willing to wait for a bond between the both of you."

Rey leaned on the balcony next to Bazine. "I take it that your husband did not do so?"

Bazine's expression turned grim. "No, my father and my first husband agreed that it was best that I be married the next day. I was only fourteen at the time. The old man didn't even really barter."

Rey did a double take. " _ **Fourteen**?!_ That is _disgusting_!" She was only a child!

"The emperor said the exact same thing to me we first met." Bazine smiled slightly. "He even offered to help annul my marriage. Though I was already a widow then. Assassin you see." The older woman caught Rey's expression. "No, I wasn't behind his assassination.."

Bazine was telling the truth about that at the very least.

"Still, it works out. You will become Empress most of the world." Rey supposed she was trying to be comforting.

Rey stared at the snow, shining under the moonlight.

"I didn't ask for this...for any of this." Rey mumbled softly.

"Do any of us?" Bazine questioned. "I never asked to be married, didn't ask to inherit three brothels. None of my girls or guys asked for a life of prostitution." The older woman straightened herself up. "With misfortune and tragedy, lies hidden opportunities."

The slightly older woman's eye blazed with excitement for Rey. Her hand gripped her shoulder. "You grew up as a scavenger yes? You know what its like to grow up in poverty, now you get the chance to improve others lives."

"You really think my presence would make that much of a difference?" Rey asked in curiosity.

Bazine's mouth curled into a smirk. "Most people fear him. He cannot afford sentimentality, yet they could _love_ you."

Looking at it that way, Rey _could_ use her position to help people. If she was able, she'd make sure no little girl would sleep on a dusty floor again. Or struggle to earn coin for food.

"I treat my people a hell of a lot better than my husband ever did. If they no longer desire to work in the brothel, I find them work elsewhere. Judging of what I heard about you, I think you could do the same for a great many more people."

Rey had to question who told her things about her. For some reason she didn't think it was just Kylo. Bazine smiled a little as if she could read her mind.

"If you have a need of me, any time just ask the servant's for The Mistress." she told her gently.

 _Mistress?!_ "Have you and the emperor..." Rey found herself asking, feeling slightly concerned.

Bazine laughed hard. "Oh goodness **no** my dear! It is simply a name my girls call me." The woman made the suggestion sound ludicrous. She then gave Rey's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I need to return to the party, but we will chat later if you need too."

Rey watched the woman in black step back into the room, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

* * *

Bazine firmly decided that she liked Reyana Kenobi. She knew that would, when her handmaidens sang her praises in their reports. They all stated that she treated them with respect, some even started to become loyal to her in a short amount of time. That was incredibly valuable.

She feared that the girl would be meek like a mouse, yet she could see the small flash of the feistiness that the emperor told her about. The girl was a perfect match for the emperor.

Bazine spotted Elara whispering to her brother. The whispers were slightly heated. Aleksei Dorne was firmly loyal to the emperor, yet his sister never made it a secret of her disdain for the empire. Clearly that the topic they were arguing about.

The Dorne girl did not concern her, she can complain all she wanted. But _words_ were meaningless compared to _action._

Her eyes caught the sight of Armitage Hux, sneering at the passing by servants. The young man reminded her of a fox, very clever but vicious little bastards.

He acted like he despised commoners, the way his nose wrinkled up as a servant passed by. Bazine discovered this was a defence mechanism. Armitage was a _bastard_ , born out of an affair from a scullery maid. Brandol only entered his life when he was two, shortly after his wife Maratelle revealed she could not produce any more children.

Of course the old vulture, so set in his outdated traditional ways wanted a son to carry on his line. So with the goodness of his black shrivelled heart took his bastard in his household. Maker knows what happened to the scullery maid.

Brandol eerily reminded Bazine of her own father. His pompous demeanour, his lecherous nature hidden behind a mask of propriety and of course all set on guiding his children on their _duty._ His poor daughter lead to believe her only goal in life was to marry well and produce children. Armitage to carry on legacy.

She felt a stab of pity for Taelia as she walked past, watching her quickly consume her wine. Trying to drown her sorrows. In the spymaster's own ignorance, she encouraged the match between the emperor and the Hux girl. Though the emperor disapproved and warned her of interference.

Bazine found the girl had a decent heart compared to her father and brother. A little naive at times, she had her moments of nurtured brattiness as well, yet she meant well most of the time. That girl was going to lead a life of misery being betrothed to some pompous noble and siring multiple brats. Taelia might know that herself. Being Empress would've given her a position of power most women would **kill** for.

Armitage latched his hand around her wrist pulling her to a stop.

"If you value that hand. I'd remove it." She warned him, her voice low.

He removed it, though his blue eyes were blazing. "You're not seriously supporting that...that _scavenger_ becoming the empress are you?"

"The **emperor** decided as such. I support him." Bazine confidently stated. "As should you."

The Hux boy rolled his eyes. "You and I both know that Taelia would be the better match. She has court alliances, she's educated, she knows her politics!" He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "If you nudge the emperor in the right direction he'd-"

Bazine burst out laughing, people around them glanced at them. His cheeks became beet red.

"What do you think the emperor is? He's not one to be so easily lead, least of all by me." the spymaster stated firmly.

Taelia looked at the two, her eyes becoming very sad. Her cheeks flushed.

Armitage lowered his voice. "You should at least. _Back me._ "

"Darling," Bazine's voice became dangerously low as well. "You don't have enough cards…" Her eyes looked at him up and down. Then flicked him under his chin with her nailed finger. "In your _deck_ , for me to even consider it."

His looked positively **enraged**. He clutched his hand into a fist but Taelia swooped in at his side and clutched his arm.

"Armitage...enough. Don't bother." her voice was dripping with melancholy. "It doesn't make a difference anyway."

The young Hux glanced at his sister sadly before shooting Bazine another glare. He left with Taelia in tow.

A loud noble caught Bazine's attention.

* * *

Something felt wrong, Rey's stomach churned with nausea. She heard a man boisterously ramble to another man near her. It was _them_!

Quickly, Rey nervously dove into the man's mind.

 _'Grab the girl, jump down and out. Easy money.'_ the clear thoughts of the man came. It was a stark contrast to his apparent drunken speech.

 _'I'm sure she won't miss her hand.'_ the thought came from the other man. _'Boss won't mind.'_

Her hazel eyes caught a glimpse of something glinting in the light, before she knew it a dagger flew into the air towards her. Everyone around broke in screams but instinctively Rey stopped it using her magic.

"Oh **shit** , she's a mage!" the man who threw the blade stated in frustration.

The drunken one straightened up and rushed towards Rey. "Just grab her! We'll-"

Rey did not give the man time to finish before shoving him backwards with magic. He stared up at her, his eyes looking wide.

"Fuck this!" the other muttered stumbling backwards tripping up into a noble behind him. An invisible force held him up into place before he could do anything else, the same happened to the other.

Emerging from the crowd, each one of the Knights of Ren held up one of their hands and stepped forwards until they swarmed around them both.

The Knights of Ren...were mages?

 _ **Crack.**_ A nasty sound of cracking bones echoed through the now eerily quiet ballroom, a deafening scream bellowed shortly after. Rey saw their arms buckling, she thought that they might have broken both their arms.

The emperor stormed up to them both, his knights stood to a halt waiting for his command. Rey did not need to see his face to know he was furious. He stared at them both. He indicated to the man who tried to grab Rey.

" **Break his legs as well.** " Kylo instructed them, fury lacing his deep voice.

She wanted to scream out to Kylo but her throat became dry. The emperor's mind screamed with anger, he wanted them as an example for others.

Rey winced when she heard the man's legs crack and pop. He wailed in agony. She felt him break into both their minds, tear into their memories. Their eyes both rolled into the back of their heads.

" _ **Rotta.**_ **"** he hissed out a name. **"You both have the same information I need."** The emperor's voice had deep malicious intent. He whipped out his hand and made the man who threw the dagger tumble to the floor. He whimpered, his arms hanging limply to his sides. **"I only need _one._ "**

Bazine quickly marched towards Rey and gently grabbed her by the hand. "You do not need to witness this, stare ahead. Try not to look back."

She did so, she stared at ahead towards the grand staircase as Bazine lead her up. Rey didn't see the start of the man's punishment but she _heard_ it. The man screamed in agony, she heard a crackle of fire.

Against her better judgement Rey turned her head slightly, the man was now a raging inferno on the floor. His flesh burnt black and clearly already dead. Some nobles looked on in a smug fashion, others like Taelia Hux looked on horrified. The girl clutched her face digging her nails against the pale skin of her face.

Armitage tried to edge his sister away from the sight, though she looked too shocked to comply.

Elara stared up at Rey, the crackling of the fire behind her. Her grey eyes were of sympathy, her mind clearly read: _'This is what your future husband is. Beware.'_

Bazine gave a small tug on Rey's arm. "Don't."

Rey couldn't look any more, she whipped around and followed the other woman out. Trying and failing to push out what just happened from her mind.

* * *

 **Please tell me what you think! :)**


	15. Chapter 14

**Really sorry for the slow update here. This chapter took four times to write! If I don't feel right with what I've wrote I will not publish it. But it feels right now, so here it is!**

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen**

None of the nobles had dared to move an inch, they were so frozen fear as the horrendous smell of burnt flesh filled the air. Kylo had his back to them all, trying and failing to tame his anger.

The storm soldiers dutifully dragged out the attempted kidnapper by his broken legs, he left a long trail of smeared blood against the white marble floor, the nobles watched the man whimper pathetically as he passed them.

Kylo glared at the black ash that was once the man who tried to attack Reyana, he heard the faint sound of crystals clattering together. The chandelier shook, his emotions started to affect his surroundings.

"Sir?" the cautious voice of his knight, Aleksei Dorne asked.

" **LEAVE!"** he snarled at the crowd. People flinched at the volume of his voice, sending some to nearly stumble back. **"This gathering is _over_."**

Like lightening the nobles left the room, except for Aleksei's sister who stopped at the foot of the stairs. The nobles continued as she stared at the emperor indignantly with her silver eyes. Her mouth twitched like she wished to say something before she spun around and left.

Kylo exhaled, he could feel the eyes of both Phasma and his knights at the back of his head. At the very least he sent a strong message to all of the nobles of his realm. Don't even **try** and hurt Reyana.

 _Reyana._ The thought of her gave his anger pause, only now he realised at her presence was missing from the ballroom and then guilt began to eat away from within him.

Someone had tried to hurt her within the walls of _his_ palace! He had promised her that she would be safe and yet…

He turned to Phasma. **"Investigate how _exactly_ two uninvited men slipped past our guard."**

Phasma stoically stood to attention. He could sense that her emotions of disappointment and anger. "Yes sir."

Kylo looked at Aleksei Dorne who stared at him. **"You will guard Lady Rey tomorrow morning."** He needed someone he trusted greatly and he trusted Aleksei with his life.

"Of course sir." Aleksei bowed his head and saluted.

He dismissed them all and swiftly left. Then he headed straight toward Reyana's chambers.

* * *

Kylo exhaled slightly as he gripped his metallic mask in his did not really know how Reyana would react to him now. He knew that she detested violence and even back then she hated needless cruelty.

Though it wasn't really needless. If he hadn't made an example of him, other nobles would have no qualms in trying the same thing. But did _she_ understand that? He had to keep in mind, she knew very little about court life through no fault of her own.

He knocked quietly. "Rey?"

Silence. The polite thing to do would be to wait until the morning but he did not want her to sleep angry at him. So quietly he entered.

The fireplace burned brightly against the darkness of her chambers. He could see a silhouette of woman standing just outside of the light. But it wasn't Rey.

"Lady Rey is resting now, I wished to speak with you." the voice of Bazine spoke calmly. "About the assassins."

Were this anyone else _but_ his spymaster, he'd be wary. But when she was serious about topics, she had to be unseen and look uninvolved. It meant she was thinking of particularly vicious retribution and Kylo was _not_ in a kind mood.

With a flick of his fingers he snapped the door shut. "Kidnappers, actually. Any input?"

"Severely underpaid, misinformed _and_ poor." Bazine stated, shaking her head. "That's the only reason that they'd be so woefully stupid as to steal Lady Rey in a room full of people. Professionals...they are _far_ more efficient." She added the last part in a knowing tone.

"He wanted Lady Rey alive." Kylo stated.

"The question is why." Bazine stared at him with her jade green eyes. "Ransom?" She seemed to think deeply. "I placed one of my girls in Rotta's kitchens, she reported that he had to sell a lot of heirlooms...even had to rely on a lot of his slaves for kitchens and housework due to the servants walking out."

She chuckled maliciously. "A _**Hutt**_ having so little money? That must be a personal shame."

Kylo gripped his leather gloved hand tightly. In a quiet enraged tone he muttered.

"I will send the storm soldiers and make him pay. **Dearly.** "

Bazine's plum lips pulled into a sharp smile. "If I may, my lord. I'd like to suggest a more...subtle approach."

* * *

This night, Rey felt vastly different from her regular dreams. She gazed around the familiar sight of the desert, it was eerily quiet except for a cold wind that howled through Jakku. The setting sun made the landscape slowly engulfed the landscape in shadow.

The blowing of the wind started to sound unnatural. Like thousand of voices speaking at once until it formed together becoming a hiss.

A familiar bell rang. The bell on Unkar's shop door, Rey turned her head to see her young self. Not as young as previous visions but around about the age of nine or ten this time.

Her youthful face scrunched up in disappointment as she counted the silver in her hand.

" _Good for nothing..."_ she mumbled under her breath. She quickly shoved her coins in her worn leather bag and travelled down the dusty road.

Rey's blood turned cold. Now she recognised what night this was. She begged the Maker not to show this to her again, she didn't want to see it.

The young Rey's hand clenched around the strap of her bag, trying to stare at the way ahead. Ignoring the chill on the back of her neck. Her eyes eventually looked down a bleak alley way that she passed by.

"Don't look." Rey all but begged her younger self.

The younger self paused. But then proceeded how it happened in life. Rey closed her eyes and wished that she never noticed the small foot at the edge of the alley. The younger Rey covered her mouth to conceal her scream. She didn't want to see the corpse of her murdered friend again. Or the nightmares that followed of the man murdering him.

 _ **'Nightmares?'**_ A nasty clear voice whispered in her ear. _**'Those were**_ **visions.** _That's how your friend died.'_

Her mind felt like it was on fire. Thousands of different voices flooded her senses. Stumbled backwards only slightly and her environment completely changed.

She did not know where she was now, it was certainly nowhere she had been before. The skies were black and the rain whipped down and lashed against the marshy ground. Lightening struck and vaguely she could make out several figures in the darkness.

The voices were still drowning her senses but one voice was far clearer than the others.

" _Ben, you don't know what you have done.'_ a man's voice said. It was brimming with deep disappointment and sadness.

Another lightening flash and she felt herself tumble down into another place. She looked up to see a forest with dark green leaves and gnarled roots of the enormous trees twisted into the wet soil.

From a distance Rey saw the young Ben, he was smiling kindly at someone. He offered his hand, as a person would to help someone to their feet. An adult sized skeletal hand clasped at his.

Rey yelped. Her mind burned as the voices increased in such volume until it was screech. She felt her heart pound against her chest in a rapid beat. Her hands clutched at her temples trying to feebly will the pain away. Even when she squeezed her eyes shut, unsettling images flashed through her mind. A tiny bloody hand, a scarred eye, a city in ashes.

" _Calm yourself."_ a voice said. Said in such a way, Rey couldn't help but try.

She breathed out steadily and focus on calming her heartbeat. The images stopped and the voices dulled down to a mere whisper. The man's eyes were a striking pale blue, the same eyes of her mother's.

" _The only one who can harm your mind, is yourself."_ He looked straight at her and for a small moment Rey thought he talking to her, until she heard a small whimper behind her.

She turned around to see her mother, in her teens. She was fighting back tears. _"Father, mother is dead. Now that I'm alone...the voices trying to tempt me to the dark path are louder."_

Her grandfather's gaze turned sympathetic. _"What do they say?"_

" _Make a deal, then take my sword, hunt down Vader take my vengeance."_ her mother stated dully. Her blue eyes glared at the ground. _"A part of me wants to."_

" _Is that what I taught you?"_ her grandfather asked, his expression turned to disappointment. _"That vengeance was the path of Light way?"_

" _No. No!"_ Katala quickly said. _"But..."_

" _Repeat the mantra, child."_ Her grandfather gently told her mother.

" _No emotion, only peace."_ Katala softly recited. _"No ignorance, only knowledge. No passion, only serenity. No death, only the Light."_

She could make out some voices in her mind.

 _'...there is good in him…I can save him..."_ a male voice said.

 _'...bring him home.'_ a woman's voice stated.

' _There is someone who needs me more.'_ her own voice said confidently.

Her grandfather put a hand on her mother's shoulder. It faded through, revealing that he was only an illusion. _"Whenever you are tempted repeat the mantra. Every mage will hear the call of the dark path. They will try and twist you with hatred and sadness. Just remember, within darkness a single candle can burn brightly."_

Katala tried to hold her father's hand only to phase through. It broke Rey's heart to see how isolated her mother truly was, at least in Jakku there were _some_ people.

A bright light caught her attention, the image of her mother and the island began engulfed with shadow. The light turned out to be coming from a full moon. Wooden floorboards now creaked under her feet. The illuminated figures of Finn and Poe stood at the deck of a ship, a much older man at the wheel.

She knew at that moment, her friends had done what she was not able to do. They found Han Solo. Even now they were still trying to help her…

Rey woke up feeling elated.

* * *

Vano smiled with mirth at the familiar neat penmanship of Bazine. The parchment with the seal of the emperor stated:

 _'My dear Vano,_

 _I have a job for you. Apprehend Rotta the Hutt._

 _Do not kill him. We both know you're good at making an impression, show one by dealing with his guard and showing what happens when Hutts get too bold with the emperor. Slaves and servants aren't to be harmed as they will be under my protection._

 _Have fun._

 _The Mistress._

The parchment smelled strongly of her lavender perfume. The tease, it brought back memories so strong he had forgotten his younger sister was sitting right next to him.

She stared at him, a devious grin plastered over her face, her slender finger wrapped a piece of her ebony hair.

"Oooh," Ailyn waggled her eyebrows suggestively as she sipped her drink of Bandit's Punch. "Mistress eh? Another girlfriend?"

"...More like just _friend_." Vano empathised. Ailyn shot him a doubtful look. In truth his and Bazine's relationship could be described as complicated at best.

Silently he shoved a small bag of gold on the edge of the bar edge, the golden coloured elf that tended the bar looked disappointed when Ailyn rose from her seat. He stared at Vano's leather eye-patch a second too long before deciding to quietly wipe the sticky sides of the bar.

"So what's the job?"Ailyn asked him, excitement burned in her hazelnut coloured eyes.

Vano grinned and whispered quietly to her. "We're going to collect a Hutt."

Ailyn smirked in response.

* * *

It was late in the evening when the Hux family finally arrived at their large estate in the countryside of Naboo. A rather impeccable manor that overlooked the hillside. Silently they all entered their grand house.

Brandol's expression seemed fixed on contemplation, his feet thudded against the polished wooden floorboards and into living room. He slumped into the armchair that faced the roaring fireplace, snatching a silver goblet of wine that a servant offered on a tray.

Armitage noted that this was unusual behaviour. The first thing he usually did after a party was saunter upstairs and entertain his two concubines. When their father was completely silent like this it was wise not to bother him. His temper could be nasty.

Armitage gazed at his sister, her skin seemed paler than usual. Her mind was clearly replaying the events of the ballroom. That was the first time that she had truly seen death and it was so brutal too. Her romanticised view of the emperor had been completely been shattered.

"I'm going to bed," Taelia softly stated, her eyes dully looking at the ground. She began to climb the long stairs up to her room before Brandol's voice cut through the silence.

"Taelia, dear." Their father's voice had a sharp edge. "Come here."

Armitage lingered behind his sister, ready to defend her if he needed to. Rather hesitantly Taelia edged her way towards their father, the light of the fireplace reflected on her face. Quietly Brandol gently gripped the ends of his daughter's red hair, this immediately made Taelia tense up.

Brandol had never beaten his only pure blooded child, unlike Armitage but even _she_ couldn't fully escape his wrath. Growing up if Taelia misbehaved, was too loud or even just irritated him he would touch her hair and then pull it roughly, when she cried it only made him tug it harder.

She inhaled sharply and instantly went on edge, her hand clutched into a fist.

"Seems my dear," Brandol's words were nice but his voice was very direct. "That marrying the emperor is no longer an option. So what do you think we should do now? Hmm?"

"I...I don't know father." Taelia responded softly, her blue eyes not reaching quite reaching his.

"Then I'll _tell_ you what you should do." Brandol stated, an icy smile reached his lips. "Become Lady Kenboi's _friend_."

" _ **What?**_ " Taelia's voice took on a shrill tone. "That _scavenger_? I-"

Brandol yanked her hair making her yelp. " _Yes._ " He hissed through gritted teeth. "The scavenger is important to the emperor, get in _her_ good graces then you will get in _**his**_ good graces."

Tears pricked the corners of Taelia's eyes. "But I don't think I want to get in his-" Another sharp pull made her silent.

"You _**will**_." Brandol stated. He stared at her with his cold blue eyes for moment before roughly releasing her hair, she stroked her hair whipping away from their father. She glided past Armitage not looking at him either.

Armitage felt a stab of guilt at that. He looked at Brandol who glowered at him.

"Before you even speak boy." Brandol hissed nastily. " _She_ would be better getting in the scavenger's good side than you would be. If you started to sniff around the Kenobi girl then the Emperor will certainly suspect you." his father smiled sharply. "Women tend to stick together after all."

Armitage said nothing in response.

* * *

That morning when Rey got up from her bed, she spotted a letter on the side of her bedside cabinet. It read:

 _'Dear Rey,_

 _I must apologise what happened last night. I promised you security and I failed you. I've assigned one of my knights to be your bodyguard for the day. Aleksei Dorne. At least until we've apprehended the man responsible for your attempted kidnapping. You will get justice, I'll promise you that._

 _If you wish please meet me in the palace gardens this evening for your lessons._

 _Kylo._

She inwardly groaned at the thought of being followed by someone all day. Her fingers tightly gripped at the paper, feeling slightly...concerned about Kylo. He seemed to blame himself for what happened when it wasn't his fault at all.

It disturbed Rey to hear a man burn alive, though she wasn't really angry that he had to die. She wasn't angry at the emperor, why would she be? For protecting her? No one really did that much to protect her in Jakku.

She wished things were simpler, it was easier to know what was right and wrong as a scavenger.

A soft knock on her bedroom door broke through her thoughts, it was one of her handmaidens ready to prepare her for the day. Rey dimly agreed on a rich purple dress, since the weather still had a sharp chill it reached all the way to her neck and the sleeves to her hands. It had white, soft fur that hugged her throat and her wrists. After helping her change, the handmaiden opened her bedroom door to her chambers.

Rey nearly jumped when she saw a man in black armour standing on the other side of her chambers. She could feel him stare at her, he seemed to clearly make her handmaiden uncomfortable too as she seemed to look everywhere _but_ at him.

"At your service my lady," Aleksei quietly said giving a minute bow before becoming silent again.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **So now Rey is aware that Finn and Poe are with Han Solo. The vision was a large jumble of things that have happened and things that are to become.**

 **The bit after Katala recites the Path of Light, _one_ of the voices has already been spoken. The other two will happen in the future. The images flashing in Rey's mind after she see Ben in the forest are also a hint of things to come as well. Though in what context we will see.**

 **I wanted to end the chapter differently, I wanted to include an action scene we'll see in the next chapter. The reason I didn't include that in this one was that it threw off the pacing in this chapter.**

 **So until next time!**


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hello there guys. Thank you very much for all your kind reviews, favourites and follows. If you have any questions don't be afraid to go and ask me on my tumblr!**

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen**

The small, beady eyes of the last guard fiercely glared up at Vano. So defiant, despite the fact his comrades laid dead slumped against the ground while their blood spilt into the desert sand. Even when he had a knife to his throat he still tried to push Vano off.

When the guard feebly tried to punch him, instantly Vano struck him in the jaw emitting a crunching sound.

"Not today friend." Vano's smile was as sharp as his dagger. Swiftly he drew his blade against the man's throat.

The last guard choked out a gargling sound as blood sprayed from his wound and quickly died. He slumped back against the ground in a pool of his own blood.

Vano let out a low whistle, letting Ailyn know that the back courtyard was secured. Like a shadow, he hid behind a large pillar that was close the entrance and waited for Bazine's agent.

A low whistle in the air brought a proud smile to Vano's face, with knowing that she had managed to secure the front courtyard by herself.

The door clicked open, a red Twi'lek elf carefully came out carrying a heavy looking jug of water. Of course, as soon as her crimson eyes spotted the gory scene she dropped it with a stifled shriek.

For a tense moment, Vano wondered if a poor servant had merely stumbled on the gory scene, up until she shot him a small smile.

"You work faster than I'd thought you would." the woman casually said approaching him.

"That is part of my craft, my lady," Vano responded politely while flashing her a charming smile.

The elf looked to be in her late thirties, makes sense that she'd get an older woman as an agent. Hutts tended to admire younger, attractive servants and slaves though stereotypically they ignored the older ones.

"We should move quickly." the Twi'lek muttered, her eyes darted to her surroundings. "I've given the servants warning, they won't interfere. But the guards..."

"Are well and truly dead in the front courtyard!" Ailyn chirpily finished the woman's sentence.

His sister dangled her willowy legs over the tall palace wall, she seemed very pleased with herself. A smirk plastered on her face indicated her job went well. At this point, Ailyn would've compared her kill count with Vano's but she knew this mission was too important to be cocky.

"We mustn't delay." the elf quietly lead them the back door, checking the corridor before letting them enter the palace.

A horrendous smell wafted past Vano's nose, he choked back a cough, his one good eye watered. Ailyn looked like she wanted to say something, but he gave her a sharp glare. The foul stench smelled like...food that was burnt to a crisp and rotten pork sitting out in the sun.

"Kitchens." was all the crimson elf murmured as she strode through the hallways, only looking straight ahead.

Ailyn grimaced. "Gross."

Vano heard many of footsteps in the rooms nearby, he presumed they were servants and all steering clear of his path. Though the elf was still clearly weary of any guards passing through that might discover them.

"Here." the crimson elf firmly stopped near an old musty, red tapestry. It was meticulously detailed with an intricate design of circles and triangles. She carefully pulled it back to reveal a hidden passage. "The old master had an escape route if things got nasty," the elf snickered. "Suppose didn't think he'd die at sea. Rotta is unaware of this, he grew up with his cousins in Nal Hutta."

"Where does this lead to?" Ailyn asked, her brown eyes studied the passageway in curiosity.

The red elf smirked. "Straight to the throne room, of course." With that, she quietly stepped into the passageway indicating for them to follow with a nod of her head.

Ailyn swiftly followed her, Vano quickly surveyed the long corridor behind them making sure no guards were behind them. Positive that they were safe, Vano followed also.

The corridor was long and so narrow that the coarse bricks brushed against the bare skin of his arm, how a Hutt expected to fit through here he didn't have a clue. Ailyn and the crimson elf were a distance ahead of him. He could hear his sister whisper to the elf.

"You think it a good idea to tell the servants? One of them might..." Ailyn muttered this quiet enough.

The elf bit back a laugh. "None will weep at his demise. _All_ of them are eager for a new master to serve."

Ailyn mirrored Vano's confusion. "Why?"

The crimson elf became silent for a few seconds before answering. "He was always a bad boss, too harsh with discipline, violent tempers and so on. But in the last few months, he has apparently become more unhinged, though even worse many of the young servant girls have gone missing." The woman sharply inhaled. "Many servants are asking where their daughters, sisters and friends are. They want justice."

"Sold as slaves?" Ailyn quietly asked.

"...I cannot say for sure." the elf mumbled. "Most of the slaves have been sold or ran away so it's possible. Though servants have heard...screams and other strange things. They have gotten the impression he's murdering them."

Ailyn and Vano glanced at other. That sounded...odd.

The red elf held up a finger, silently instructing them to wait. Carefully she peeled back the tapestry and entered the throne room.

Vano listened closely, complete silence. No sound indicated that the elf was discovered, Vano gave a nod to Ailyn who grinned seeming eager for action. She retrieved a small phial from her belt, quickly she pried the metal lip open and dropped it through the tapestry.

He heard the glass of the phial clink against the stone floor, rolling forward. There was a confused grunting sound and a deep voice speak in another language.

" _Haku_ _doth da?_ " Vano presumed this was Rotta speaking in his guttural language.

On cue, an audible hiss leaked from the phial. Ailyn took this as an opportunity and burst through the tapestry. Quickly a red fog had completely engulfed the large room.

" _Haku doth uba woy uba beesga?"_ Rotta's tone turned a higher syllable, clearly terrified. " _Chakaph mi!"_

They both heard the hulking footsteps of a guard stomping toward them both, the metal of the armour clanked together. Vano purposefully started to move around them all, so they could see his vague outline in his mist.

He smirked slightly as two guards started to trot towards him, he could hear metallic scrapes against the floor. Logically he would guess, they were carrying large, heavy weapons.

If they were smart, they would've stayed behind and keep back to back. But the guards of the palace seemed more brawn than brains. Of course, it seemed they had the upper hand, especially since he edged himself near the wall. The guards held large heavy spears in their thick hands, so large the metallic end sharply grated against the stone floor. the both of them darkly chuckled seeing him alone.

Vano silently noted that their faces and neck, probably due to the stifling Tatooine heat were unprotected. Open, vulnerable.

They didn't hear the scrape of metal against the floor, simultaneously they raised their spears to strike him dead. The sound of a burdened grunt echoed through the vast throne, the guard on Vano's left had been gorily harpooned through the throat with a spear.

"Bit shit your boss put this on the wall display." It seemed Ailyn couldn't help but verbally jab at the other guard, who momentarily became distracted.

Without another word Ailyn as hard as she could, belted the guard against the head, using the end of the spear. It staggered him and knocked off his helmet. He let out a small growl, whipping around to face her.

Big mistake.

When the guard raised his spear to tried and skewer Ailyn, Vano neatly embedded his dagger into the back of his skull. Like his comrade he thudded against the polished stone floor, blood seeped out of their wounds in a red pool. His sister dropped the heavy weapon with a thud.

Ailyn grinned, she shot Vano a mischievous glance before she belted into the thick red mist, she notably did not go towards Rotta. But rather around him. The sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the room. The Hutt made a distressed moan, now he knew that he could not fight his fate, perhaps feeling like prey to a predator.

The last guard stood in front of Rotta, though the twitching of his fingertips and his heavy breathing revealed his fear. Vano confidently stepped towards Rotta, not even hesitating when the guard rose his axe.

Ailyn leapt from the waning fog, her two daggers easily slipped into the guard's neck killing him instantly. Rotta shrieked in terror seeing his bodyguard die. He rose from his stone throne and violently shook in fear. His sister, having never seen a Hutt in person before looked at him in morbid fascination. Like a child would to a particularly fat slug.

"P-please! Don't kill me!" he wailed, his lip wobbled pathetically. "I-I'll make you rich beyond dreams!"

"We're already going to be rich my friend," Vano smirked, his dark eyes fixed on the obese man as he stepped closer cornering him against the wall. "Thanks to you."

Without a word he drew his last blade against the Rotta's hand, drawing a small bit of blood. He shrieked as if Vano just stabbed him, dramatically clutching his hand to himself.

"But we're not here to kill you. We're retrieving you. In the name of the emperor and all that." Vano in a casual tone, that a person would use when talking about the weather. "What our emperor will do, however..." He shrugged.

Rotta's pupils dilated, the sleeping poison began to gradually work its way through the fat man's blood stream, normally the effect was instant but for a Hutt….

"Vano..." Ailyn muttered, her hazel eyes staring at something near Rotta's throne.

No...not something, someone.

A young elven woman was rather scantily clad, though this was expected from a Hutt slave seeing as they loved the female form. Her bikini top tightly clung against her green skin, a transparent fabric covered her lower body, leaving little to the imagination.

Beautiful but something was...off about her, she was so still one could easily mistake her for dead if she didn't sit upright clutching her knees. Her jade eyes vacantly staring into the distance. A small scar rested in the middle of her forehead. It looked like a burn mark.

"Hello?" Vano asked uncertainly, the woman only blinked in response.

" _Sei numa_!" the crimson elf appeared from behind a pillar, she swooped towards the young woman near the throne. She hugged the woman and whispered. " _Eti aan ily. Do ohk circaa guo._ "

The woman blinked again and she spoke. Her tone sounded like a corpse that learned how to talk. It was very...unnerving, to say the least. " _Dan dao. Ji sihse ohk elan ar chir guo_."

The red elf looked at her shocked, her thumb elegantly traced the scar and angrily muttered to herself in Ryl.

"What did you do to her?" she angrily hissed at Rotta. "Is that what you've done to the others?!

Rotta glowered at the crimson elf, though he staggered and his eyes didn't concentrate properly at his servant. "...I made her perfect…I've made them all perfect..." he deliriously mumbled.

"Were you going to make the future empress perfect too?" the crimson elf pointedly asked.

"...Not...my...id.." Rotta slurred until he slumped against the stone floor with a thud.

The crimson coloured elf straightened up, her eyes met with Vano's. "Take him to the Emperor, I will need to report to The Mistress. I need to find the others,"

* * *

Rey's bodyguard, Aleksei was a shadow in the corner of her eye for most of the day. His sleek, black armour made him stand out in a striking manner no matter how much he tried to blend in the background.

Her handmaidens and most of the servants for that matter seemed to look very uncomfortable to be near his presence. Her handmaidens seemed to quietly settle for pretending that he wasn't present, this wasn't hard as his movements seemed as limited as a statue.

Eventually, Rey started to ease into carrying on her day as normal. After the servants served her lunch, one of her handmaidens named Selene presented her a sealed letter in a polite fashion. The envelope had a wax seal with the letter 'H' imprinted.

"It seems that it is from the Hux family," Selene stated knowingly with a tranquil smile. "Shall I open it for you?"

Rey gently pried the letter from her hands. "No, thank you, Selene."

The letter had a floral design on the edges and had elegant handwriting. With flowery, polite words it invited her to a small tea party and signed by Taelia Hux. Rey raised an eyebrow at this, this seemed like such a social climbing move, especially considering she was glaring at her throughout the night yesterday.

The dining room door clicked open, the ethereal form of Bebe peeked through the crack. Her glowing orange eyes beaming at Rey."Reyana!"

Rey's other handmaiden Xanthia frowned, looking slightly irritated that the child like golem didn't address her properly. Though this seemed to be more out of propriety than malice.

Bebe edged herself near the arm of Rey's chair and began shooting question after question.

"How was it? What did the nobles look like? Was there dancing? Was there cake?"

Rey raised an eyebrow. "Cake?"

Bebe smiled shyly and shrugged. "I like cake. Especially the tiny frilly ones...anyway! You didn't answer my questions!"

"It was nice." Rey lied quickly, not really wanting to tell her about the attack. "The rest of the nobles looked very..fancy."

She supposed the gathering was the most interesting thing poor Bebe has heard about in a while, she felt slightly guilty she couldn't describe it better for her.

Quietly Aleksei moved from the spot he was standing in, this made both Selene and Xanthia flinch. He looked down at the ethereal child.

"Lady Rey is perhaps still tired from the gathering yesterday," Aleksei said rather gently to Bebe. The young looking golem beamed up at him.

Then he gently began describing the ball in great detail to the ethereal child, while she listened intently. It eventually became time for Rey to meet Kylo in the gardens.

"Selene, Xanthia would you keep Bebe company?" Rey asked her handmaidens politely.

"Of course my lady," they both curtsied simultaneously and set about their duty.

Aleksei followed closely behind her, recovering his stoic stance once more.

"Will you sister be attending the Hux's estate?" Rey asked him casually.

He did not answer right away as if to carefully think about his answer. "I believe so, my lady. Though admittedly I'm surprised you're considering going." He paused. "You don't seem like the sort to enjoy it."

"There are not many people I know very well," Rey admitted her reasoning of going. "I didn't even remember Elara properly."

"Ah," Aleksei muttered in understanding. "Yes, your loss of memories would put you at a large disadvantage. We're trying to find a solution for that,"

"We're?" Rey looked at him, he looked back. His helmet reflected the evening light,

"Phasma and her soldiers are for military matters," his voice dipped into a whisper. "Bazine and her agents are for matters of espionage. For matters of magical disturbances, that's where the Knights of Ren come in."

So they weren't simply powerful bodyguards. His tone seemed very patient and understanding.

"Did I know you as a child?" Rey decided to ask, seeing as her family knew the Dornes.

"Not very well, my lady. You were closer to Elara than me." Aleksei answered. "Besides, I was sent to the Academy when you were quite young."

"As in Skywalker's academy?" Rey asked staring at him.

"...Oh." He sounded very stunned. "…You don't...know about us all…" It seems like he thought that Kylo would've explained that to Rey by now.

"Wait, so all of the Knights of Ren were Luke Skywalker's students. So-"

"Forgive me, my lady. Yes, it is true, the Knights of Ren were all previously Luke's students. But I don't think I should say any more," he said this in a softly polite tone. "If the emperor has not told you then I shall not tell you. That's his story to tell."

They stepped down the stone steps that lead into the palace gardens, Rey frowned and her eyebrows knitted together. Then what was their story? She let out a frustrated sigh, she was sick to be the last to know everything.

The frost covered ground crunched under her feet. A thin blanket of snow covered the grass of the gardens, a bitter chill in the air firmly remained present. The fur on her dress seemed to shield most of the cold away.

"Did you know the emperor for very long?" she finally asked Aleksei.

There was a slight pause as if to debate telling her the truth. "Ever since we were young my lady."

"Friends then?"

He let out a small chuckle. "Of course he was, one of my closest."

Rey noted his use of past tense in regards to friendship. "...Are you not friends now?"

Aleksei stiffened in posture and spoke passionately. "My lady, if the emperor asked me to storm the gates Spirit Realm, I would do so. Gladly. I am his knight, willingly."

The knight spoke of loyalty but there was a difference between loyalty and friendship. Friends spoke as equals, yet he willingly stood beneath Kylo.

Aleksei then coughed, perhaps he realised he was speaking to the emperor's future wife.

"I...apologise my lady. I'm too used to defending myself against my sister," he admitted, shame filled his voice.

Rey gave a small smile. "It's alright. I suppose in time, I'll learn everything."

She saw the black figure of Kylo in the distance, he stood next to some exotic looking flowers of bursting colours, all slightly hidden by frost and snow. He wasn't wearing his helmet, he seemed distracted. His eyes seemed fixed on his leather gloved hand.

"My emperor." Aleksei murmured loud enough for Kylo to hear him. It seemed to snap him out of his distracted state, his dark eyes lingered on Rey before looking at his knight.

"Thank you, Aleksei." he gave a slight nod. "I'll summon you when I need you again."

Aleksei bowed before he retreated back to the palace. The emperor gave an unsure but fond smile at Rey as he stepped closer to her.

"Rey..." his leather gloved hand touched her cheek. "I want to apologise to you."

"Apologise?" Rey asked confused.

"I've done you a great wrong," he stated firmly. "I promised you that would be protected. Yet, inside my own palace, someone tried to harm you. I'm sorry."

He looked so tired, there were dark circles under his eyes. Was he really this worried about her? Guilt started to creep upon Rey. Gently she took held his hand on her cheek.

"You don't have to be sorry," she muttered. "I'll admit if I didn't learn the mind reading spell you taught me. I might not have reacted on time. So, thank you for that."

This did seem to ease the emperor. He smiled softly.

"Come with me, I want to show you a place."

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, Rotta is _not_ a nice guy. The situation with his slaves is based on the tranquil from Dragon Age. Kylo's reaction to this will be something I will be looking forward to writing. **

**The Knights of Ren's backstory has been touched on slightly, with all of them being Luke's previous students as well there is a little more reason he wants to be isolated. I want to end the note with this:**

 **Rest in Peace Carrie Fisher. Our Princess Leia.**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! I apologise for the delay for this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen**

The emperor gently clutched Rey's hand. She could hear birds singing in the high trees of the familiar forest, the thin blanket of snow crunched underneath their feet.

His dark eyes stared ahead towards the clearing ahead of them, although he didn't show it in his expression Rey could tell that he was eager to show her this place.

When they finally reached the edge of the forest, Rey gasped sharply at the beautiful sight before her. Beautiful mist hovered over an incredibly large lake. In the distance, an enormous waterfall gushed its waters that reflected the pale blue sky.

"Whoa." Rey breathed. If she had seen this huge amount of drinking water in Jakku, Rey would've sworn that she had died and gone to heaven. She smiled in awe.

Kylo smiled brightly, looking very pleased with her reaction. "I'm glad, I get to show you this again. We used to catch frogs, here. Though it's a much prettier sight in summer."

Rey returned the smile, though her mind briefly drifted to Finn and Poe. A part of her wished that she could tell them that she was okay, that she was being treated well.

They travelled closer to the lake, his leather gloved hand still gripped hers. On the very edge of the lake rested a statue of a woman.

The figure was made of marble, it seemed to be made with dedicated detail. Her almond shaped eyes stared ahead, her dress trailed down her figure until her feet pooled with fabric. A thin pattern of a crown sat across her forehead, her hair sprawled with curls.

Rey looked at her, trying to remember who she was. Though Kylo answered for her.

"That is my grandmother, Queen Padme." His voice soft. "My grandfather had this statue built shortly after her death."

"Oh," Rey said, her eyes studying the statue. She still wasn't fond of Vader, yet the statue of his wife showed that he was at least very devoted to his wife.

Kylo's eyes lingered on his grandmother's statue for a moment, suddenly looking somber. "I thought that we might do our lessons here. I'll teach you some spells that will be useful in defence and combat."

"You make it sound like our previous sessions were frivolous," Rey noted, her eyebrows flicking up. "The elemental lesson would be great in combat, the mind reading spell saved my life."

"True." Kylo's mouth formed into a small grim line. "But all basic spells. All good for the unprepared, yet you won't able to hold your own against another mage yet."

He did have a point there. A simple mind reading spell would perhaps not help her next time.

"Alright...what do you have in mind?"

A small smile graced the young emperor's lips. "I thought we should start with transformation."

* * *

Reyana's first successful transformation was a bird. A small, brown sparrow. He knew that she'd do it, it was the most practical and easiest use of shifting. Kylo had almost forgotten that the art of concentrating magic, to feel the weight and form were very difficult to master at first.

But it was worth it to see Reyana dart through the sky, he felt an overwhelming sense of pride. _He_ taught her this, not Skywalker, not his master but _him._ Kylo could sense her sheer joy in her being as well, for the first time since she arrived in Naboo she seemed to feel... _ **free**_.

Perhaps he'll teach her wild tag. A game that Skywalker used to teach his young pupils, a child's game but useful in teaching control of shifting forms.

 _'No Ben!' he flinched hearing the disapproving tone of Skywalker. Ben grabbed his partner in his hands, they tried to flutter out of his grip._

 _Ben's mouth thinned down into a grimace. He stared back at his then teacher with identical blue eyes and released his classmate._

 _His classmate uneasily shifted back into their human form. Frazzled, staring at him. He shot an apologetic look at him before glaring at Skywalker._

 _'There's nothing in the rules, against shifting into_ _ **humans**_ _.' he stated in a matter of a fact way._

 _Luke gazed at him with a strange look. Worried that he was in trouble, Ben shifted out of the shape of Luke Skywalker and back into his natural form._

" _ **He looks at you with disappointment."** a voice muttered in his head._

Reyana fluttered to the grass in front of him, he made sure to show her a proud smile when she managed to revert back to her human form. Reyana smiled, he could feel her sense of pure exhilaration.

"Wow...that was..." she looked up at the sky, looking pleased. He wondered if she longed to fly before this.

"You've done amazingly well." Kylo stepped closer to her, for a brief moment she looked like she wanted to hug him but stopped herself. "If you like, my knights will help you practise your magic."

She raised an eyebrow, though the smile did not leave her face. "Why not before?"

Because _he_ wanted to be her teacher. No one else. The young emperor understood that was selfish now but seeing her excitement at learning magic pleased him greatly.

"My knights are slightly more skilled than you are right now, I did not want to embarrass you." Kylo finally said. A partially true statement.

Reyana looked deep in thought for a moment, then turned to look at him. "I've been speaking with Aleksei,"

It was Kylo's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"He mentioned about the academy, about..." Her beautiful hazel eyes looked away. "Look, I'm tired of not knowing everything, you trust me enough to teach me magic."

"Of course I trust you." He said instantly. "It isn't about trust."

"Then what?" Her gaze pierced into him, it made him turn away from her.

"It's..." A lot of things. Pain, anger, old memories bubbling up to the surface. He preferred to suppress it all.

But when he looked at her again, her lovely eyes staring at him. He understood her frustration and that gaze made him want to confess _everything._ About the academy, about the knights, about Skywalker and...his master.

"Rey." He drew in a breath to explain. Suddenly a sharp pain knocked the wind out of him, he clutched his arm as he groaned in agony.

"Kylo!" Reyana actually looked worried, edging towards him. "What's wrong?"

The familiar burning sensation seeped over his wrist. _Master_ _._ "It's. nothing." He muttered through gritted teeth.

 _ **'Disciple.'**_ the wispy, deep voice echoed in his head. Not now!

Reyana could clearly see that he wasn't okay, she watched as he clutched his arm and looked instantly troubled.

"Look, let me help," she stated reaching out towards his arm. Her palm outstretch, a soft white glow appearing.

A healing spell? Reyana…

 _ **'It's soon time, disciple.'**_

" _Don't_!" he hissed, recoiling his arm away when Reyana began to peel off his leather glove.

She flinched but it was too late. Reyana had managed to expose his hand and arm. Her hazel eyes stared at the pitch black mark that crawled up his entire arm like a gnarled, twisted root in shock.

Kylo felt his cheeks burn with shame, feebly he tried to cover up his arm again despite the pointlessness of it.

"That mark. That's..." Reyana looked at him, wanting him to explain.

He couldn't do it. His magic roared like thunder when he shifted into the form of a raven and flew away like a coward.

 _'No, no, no, no!'_ He internally scolded himself. He's spoiled everything!

 _ **'Your end of the deal needs to be met.'**_ His master's voice rang out in his head like a bell, he could imagine he said this with a nasty smile. _**'Tonight.'**_

He did this on _purpose_ , Kylo had to fight to keep the edge from his voice. _"Yes, my master."_

* * *

The cool wind softly blew against Luke's face, the leaves rustled in the trees and the waves crashed against the cliff side below.

" _A ship comes."_ the voice of his old friend graced his ears, his friend sounded hopeful.

"Yes. I can sense it," Luke closed his eyes, he could sense Han with his ship making his way to the island. "Reyana isn't with them."

Fear ripped through his friend in an instant.

" _What? No! She can't trail down the path of darkness!"_ His friend's piercing blue eyes bored into him. _"She's too important!"_

"We both know, that with absolute _**certainty**_ Reyana will come to this island." Luke reasoned. When his friend did not look entirely convinced he added. "She's a clever girl, she'll find her own way."

Blue eyes stared out into the horizon, fear slowly being replaced with melancholy and said.

" _I hope you are correct."_

They faded away before Luke had the chance to respond. He frowned, he had hoped...well it doesn't matter now. The thought of meeting his old friend, Han Solo pleased him.

* * *

When Bazine got the message from Vano back she felt a mixture of emotions. Proud, that she had managed to deal with one problem but the disturbing revelation by Rotta presented another one.

She was regretful that she couldn't retrieve Ce'na like she had promised her dear Tivva. But at the very least she was out of the grubby hands of that bastard Rotta. She smiled maliciously at the thought of him helplessly terrified at meeting the emperor.

Now came the grievous task of...informing the emperor of Rotta's intentions.

Bazine's heels clicked against the marble floor of the palace. Her jade green eyes caught the sight of some servants speedily walking away from the emperor's study, it meant only one sign.

The emperor was furious.

She tapped her knuckles against the hard wood of the door frowning.

" _ **What?"**_ Bazine heard the edged snarl of her emperor.

Exhaling she stated. "My lord, I need to speak with you. It's about Rotta."

The emperor fell silent, for a few moments Bazine wondered if he would just ignore her but the click of the door opening proved otherwise. When she entered the study she could only see his back. His black locks of hair, his dark cloak brushing against the floor while he clutched his leather gloved wrist.

"What is your report?" he asked, his voice dipped with frustration.

He was already angry at something. She'd dare not show it but deep down she was terrified to tell him, though she knew that it would _never_ be a good time to tell him. But she breathed and clearly stated. "Rotta is apprehended and on his way."

"Excellent." His voice curt and cold. The edge on his voice returned when he said. "What _else_?"

"It has become clear, what Rotta had planned for Lady Rey." Bazine's throat became dry. "It seems that he's used...some kind of magic to essentially lobotomise women."

" _ **What?** "_ every fragile object in the room began to rattle ominously, he turned to face her revealing that his eyes were now a glowing blood red.

 _Holy shit._ Bazine flinched and took a step back.

"That **bastard** is as good as _**DEAD**_!" he snarled gripping his hand into a fist. A vase shattered into pieces, shards of painted china flew everywhere across the small study.

The sudden sound seemed to sober him a bit, his eyes returned to the normal shade of dark brown and swiftly turned away again. He silently gazed back out of the window before speaking, in a slightly softer tone.

"I trust that some of the... _affected_ women are also on their way?"

"Of course my lord," Bazine murmured confidently. Perhaps he could reverse the effects?

"Excellent work," he smirked at her. "I shall look forward to the arrival of our... _guest."_

The spymaster had no doubt about that. His smirk had clear malicious intent, though she couldn't blame him for that.

* * *

Rey laid in bed, her brown hair sprawled out on the soft cushions underneath her head. But her mind was troubled. She couldn't stop thinking about the mark on Kylo's arm. She knew what it was, it was a contract mark. Unkar Plutt had a similar mark on his wrist.

But Kylo's looked particularly nasty, Rey had never seen a mark that seemed to engulf a person's hand like that. What did that mean? Or more importantly who managed to rope the emperor into such a contract?

His expression when she saw it, Rey could only manage to describe it as fear. Seeing his dark eyes trying to avoid hers, him pulling away. She felt guilty.

Perhaps she shouldn't have tried but she couldn't ignore another person in such pain. Despite so many thoughts flying through her head, she managed to drift into a restless sleep.

At first, Rey believed that she was surrounded by utter darkness until she caught the sight of Kylo holding a candle allowing only a little bit of illumination.

Was this in the past? Rey wondered to herself, watching him descend down a pitch black stairway. Where was he going?

She instantly found herself staring at his back as he inhaled, suddenly the entire room became illuminated with candles. With the candle, he was holding he lit a single black candle in the centre of the floor.

An eerie green glow made a circle around the candle, he slipped off his leather gloves revealing his marked hand and the other…was covered in scars! A horrible feeling settled in Rey's stomach when he picked up a small dagger that laid in front of the black candle.

"With my blood, I revive you." Kylo voice boomed in the circular room.

Rey watched in horror as he plunged the dagger into the palm of his scarred hand and cut open his palm. He didn't even flinch as the blood gushed out of his wound. Kylo held out his hand over the circle, allowing the blood to drip inside it.

 _Blood magic!_ Why? Why would he do that?

She felt cold when she heard a low crackle. The green glow from the circle floated away like wind and towards a dark figure, she didn't see until then. It was _much_ taller than Kylo was, the light of the candles only revealing a long cloak and the edge of a skeletal looking face.

The figure exhaled like he was breathing for the first time but it sounded more like a decaying wheeze. It sounded very unnatural.

"With my magic, I bound you here longer," Kylo stated unemotional and cold.

His marked hand glowed red, the circle started to glow a faint red in turn. It happened the same as before, it floated away but it made the figure's eyes briefly turn red before returning to pitch-black once more.

" _ **My thanks, disciple."**_ the creature murmured its voice deep. Rey couldn't entirely make out its features in the shroud of darkness.

 _Disciple?_

Kylo made a slight bow, he seemed to be fighting to keep his face as stoic as possible.

" _ **Did I interrupt your training earlier?"**_ the creature's voice sounded incredibly malicious.

Kylo's mouth twitched, his dark eyes glistened with irritation but said nothing further.

The creature exhaled seeming suddenly bored annoying the young emperor. _**"I trust her training is going well?"**_

 _Her?_

"She's very skilled, my master," Kylo stated simply. His voice became a tone softer when he said. "Reyana is quite talented."

Rey felt sick. Was this the only reason he was teaching her magic? For this thing?

" _ **Hmm. Talented enough to meet me face to face, disciple?"**_ the creature asked in a drawl.

"No," Kylo's response was instant. "She still has much to learn, master."

The creature let out a very low chuckle.

" _ **I think she's more talented than you realise,"**_ it said and then the creature looked **straight at her** with its soulless black eyes.

Kylo spun around, looking straight through her. His shocked expression was the last thing that Rey saw before she woke up.

Rey stifled a scream, her hand clutched to her chest trying to steady her rapid heartbeat. When she first met Kylo she'd thought him to be evil, but that creature…its presence felt _wrong_ and unnatural. Every instinct of hers screamed to flee.

Her eyes stared at the wooden door of her room, afraid of what comes next.

* * *

 _No._ Reyana...she saw _everything_.

Ungracefully he sealed his wound on the palm of his left hand with his magic, leaving a fresh ugly scar. His master knew the entire time he did the ritual, did he _**plan**_ this?

" _Why?_ " he gritted out, only barely concealing a glare.

His master made a dry chuckle.

" _ **I wished to meet the last Kenobi."**_ His tone turned ominous. _**"I meet her tomorrow. She's talented enough to have a vision of our ritual undetected by**_ **you** _ **."**_

Kylo could no longer make that excuse anymore, though he racked his brain trying to delay the meeting just a little longer. At least until long enough so he could explain.

"Master...she's-"

" _ **Tomorrow."**_ His master stated firmly. **_"Don't test me, disciple."_**

* * *

 **Next chapter, Rey finally meets Snoke.**

 **This was meant to happen in the last chapter but ultimately it felt too rushed with the assassin's plot as well.**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/** **N:** **I've made a post on tumblr but all the files from my laptop had been erased. Like a good five years worth.** **I've been t** **rying to write my three other Star Wars stories (unpublished) and my Dragon Age fic** **and this fic.**

 **So yeah, that's why its taken a while.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Rey did not sleep again that night, the thought of that creature lurking in the darkness kept her mind starkly awake. The sight of Kylo cutting himself open, to revive that thing, made her skin crawl. What kind of ghastly thing needed the blood of another to stay alive?

Rey only closed her tired eyes once again in the night. Through the blackness of her closed eyes, she saw a face. The skin stained with blood that dripped from its jaw and black, soulless eyes that stared back at her. It seemed vaguely human until it opens its mouth making Rey jolt her eyes open again.

Her mind playing tricks? Well, she has learnt since she's been in Naboo, that can't always be the case anymore.

After a while, she flinched when her chamber door clicked open, it was only her handmaidens. Instantly they seemed to know that something was the matter.

"My lady, are you feeling well?" Xanthia's blue eyes stared at her with concern, when Rey gave a small nod the handmaiden looked at Selene. "Please fetch Lady Rey some sweet tea,"

Quietly the other handmaiden left the room. They both knew something was wrong but didn't seem to dare ask when Selene came back with carrying the steaming teapot and china cup, Rey had caught sight of her reflection in the silver of the tray, her eyes were terribly bloodshot and she was sure that dark circles had begun to form.

The piping hot liquid soothed her dry throat, she rubbed her temple with the other. A heavy silence descended between the three women, only to be interrupted by a loud knock on her chamber door. With a sigh, she set her empty china cup on the table.

Her chamber door opened to reveal Kylo. He was wearing his mask, his boots stepped against the marble floor until he was an arm's length from her. Rey didn't make eye-contact instead opting to stare at a decorative vase next to the door.

" **Leave us** ," Kylo instructed her handmaidens.

They did not argue but they shot her concerned glances as they slowly walked away. A heavy silence filled between the emperor and Rey. Kylo decided to speak first.

" **You weren't meant to see that.** " his voice was soft and unaccusing. Yet Rey could feel he was fighting himself to keep aloof and indifferent.

"Another thing you kept quiet, I see," Rey's tone was very bitter, even to her.

Kylo let out a frustrated sigh. " **I** _ **will**_ **tell you everything.** "

Rey turned to raise an eyebrow at him, he stood over her with his arms crossed. She waited for an explanation only for Kylo to speak again.

" **But first. Do you trust me enough to know, I will not let anything harm you.** " he stared at her from behind his mask.

Rey was starting to get very scared now. She pursed her lips but said. "Yes."

He held out his right hand, the one covered in the mark. " **Come with me. You need to meet my master** ,"

* * *

The emperor didn't once look at Rey, not even when they began to descend the dismally dark staircase hidden in his study. The only light was the candle he held in his other hand. He clutched tightly onto her hand as if afraid to let her go. He was trying to be distant, Rey could tell perhaps he was worried about her reaction?

The bottom of the stairs led to a large, empty room completely devoid of light. Rey felt unnaturally cold like an icy hand had firmly gripped her heart. A horrible feeling of dread. The stench of damp and rot strongly emitted from an unknown spot in the room.

Kylo briskly stepped forward, keeping Rey behind him.

" **Master, I introduce to you Reyana Kenobi."** he emotionlessly informed to seemingly no one before kneeling while still latching onto Rey's hand.

When the young emperor rested the candle on the floor, Rey saw it. The light reflected two black orbs staring down at them both, Rey instinctively took a step back.

An invisible hand seemed to sweep some more candles alight, giving Rey a clearer view of the creature's face. The light vaguely revealed a ghastly white shade to its skin, almost corpse-like. Its black eyes glittered with the candle light and its mouth peeled back into an attempt of a smile.

" _ **Ah, so this is Reyana. The**_ **last** ** _Kenobi."_** Its voice sounded unnatural and hollow.

Rey managed to get her dry throat to speak, hopefully sounding braver than she felt. "You know of my family?"

It chuckled. _**"Ah yes, I had the pleasure of meeting your grandfather once."**_ Its skeletal fingers touched a horrendous gash in its skull. Rey felt a chill run down her spine seeing that.

" _What_ are you?" Rey found herself asking. Kylo snapped his head to look at her.

" _ **What do you think I am?"**_ the creature responded.

"Certainly not human," Rey murmured, then she narrowed her eyes. "And that isn't answering my question."

The creature lost its amused grin, black eyes shined. **" _Indeed correct. I'm_ not _human, Reyana Kenobi."_**

A shudder ran down Rey's spine, she tried not to be intimated by the creature's stare but couldn't quite shrug off the ominous feeling coursing through her.

 _"Why exactly did you want to see me?"_ Rey bluntly asked.

 _ _ **"**__ _ ** _ **I wanted to see for myself what became of the Kenobi line."**_**_ a smirk grew on its face. _**_**"Still as powerful as ever. Even now, I can feel your magic brewing deep inside."**_**_

Rey glanced at Kylo, wondering why he was silent. Especially considering his previous protective behaviour. He seemed still as a statue.

 **"** _ **What a pity about your memories..."** _ The creature uttered shrewdly in his grating voice, Rey flinched when she saw his skeletal finger drift towards her. **_**"I can**_** ** **help**** ** _ **you...if you let me."**_**

 **"** **Stay back!** **I don't want you anywhere near my mind!"** Rey responded, edging away only to bump into Kylo's chest. She stared up him.

 _Why? Why isn't he doing anything to help her?_ Only to freeze when she heard a voice that seemed a breath away from her ear. **_**"It's just us now."**_**

Rey felt a cold finger press hard against her forehead, her mind instantly began to burn. She gritted her teeth, feeling the sweat drip down her face. Her vision of the gaunt, pale face faded away into darkness.

* * *

Rey felt her heartbeat at a rapid pace when she could see nothing but blackness, it terrified her it felt like being trapped in her own mind. She felt unsafe, she felt invisible eyes watch her as she tried to make sense where she was. A blue light eerily glowed in the darkness, like a firefly at night. She steadily walked towards it, the scene in front of her becoming more clear with each step.

The light came from a sword, an enchanted one like she had seen in Kylo's collection being held by a hooded figure. Rain gently fell from the night sky onto the ground, it was hard to tell with the surroundings but it seemed like they were in a garden.

 **" _ **Shall we find out who it is?"**_**

Rey paused and looked around. Was is that creature?

There was no sound, not even the sound of rain hitting the ground. Only her own breath and that felt wrong to her. The figure had a dark cloak draping around their shoulders, brushing against the ground. At this distance, Rey couldn't tell if it was male or female.

Suddenly Rey felt herself being jolted forward, unwillingly her body barrelled forward towards the figure. Slowly the figure turned around and then she felt someone's hand latch onto her face. She stared in shock when she saw two familiar strikingly blue eyes.

"Mother?" Rey asked in shock.

Tears ran down Katala's cheeks, her face seemed to twist in emotional grief. Katala's hand glowed an eerie white and Rey's mind burned once more.

* * *

Kylo swiftly caught Reyana in his arms when she unexpectedly fainted after she uttered the words 'Certainly not human'. Though he knew instantly who _caused_ it. He glared at his master.

" **What have you done?** " His voice edged to a snarl as he stared up at his master. " **What have you done to her!"**

" _ **Remember you're speaking to, boy."** _ Snoke quietly uttered in his grating voice. His spider-like eyes staring down at him. _"_ _ **I've helped you uncover who cursed Reyana, believe it or not."**_

Kylo stared down at his beloved's unconscious form. " **Who?** " He gritted out.

" _ **Her mother, Katala Kenobi."** _ A name the emperor did not expect to her, his master chuckled underneath his breath as if finding a private joke amusing. _" **The great Obi-Wan's daughter**_ ** _seemed to stray_ very far _from the Light."_**

The young emperor frowned. **"That doesn't make sense, her mother loved her more than anything else. Why would she hurt her in such a way?"**

His master smirked. This made Kylo realise that his master had learnt the entire truth and he was only going to reveal it when _he_ wanted to. This didn't bode well, what happened to Reyana in the past was now a weapon for his master to use. The emperor didn't want that.

Kylo swiftly turned and carried his future bride out of the place. Feeling his master gloat victoriously in the dark room, lurking underneath like a predator in the depths of the dark ocean.

* * *

" _Reyana? Can you hear me?"_ Rey heard her mother's soft voice, it sounded like she was crying. _"I'm so sorry little one. I'm sorry."_

Rey snapped open her eyes, finding herself in her bedroom. She spotted Kylo sitting on the edge of her bed, his mask laid discarded on the floor. His hands buried in his dark hair.

"Kylo," Rey muttered quietly, her hazel eyes fixed on him.

"I apologise, I didn't think that he'd..." his dark eyes glanced at her. "I didn't want him to reveal himself to you on his own. I thought it would be worse."

That probably _would_ have been much worse if Rey suddenly saw that creature in the dead of night. She had so many questions running through her mind, she had no idea if she could trust that thing or not. Whether her mother really did that to her or if it was an implanted image. So Rey asked the first question on her mind.

"What exactly _is_ he?" Rey asked furrowing her eyebrows.

Kylo looked at her, he seemed like he really didn't want to answer but uttered a single word. "Demon."

Demons were the epitome of darkness, the things that made children fear the night and what made most people wary of otherworldly things. _Especially_ since a demon was rumoured to be the cause of Vader and his empire.

" **Maker's blood** Kylo! What were you thinking!" Rey raised her voice in frustration.

The young emperor stared ahead at nothing in particular. "I was only nine years old when I made the deal," He gave a small sigh. "I didn't even realise what he was until it was too late."

Rey became silent again before muttering. "You were only a boy."

"A very foolish one," Kylo stating rather disdainfully.

After a moment of hesitation Rey gently took Kylo's hand. "Please Kylo, tell me what happened to you."

"...You may not like what you hear," Kylo quietly stated.

"Well, maybe I won't," Rey said with a small shrug. "But I want to try and understand things from yo _ur_ point of view, rather than hearing it from someone else. Would you rather one of your knights? Or that creature?"

Kylo sighed.

"You're right. But it's far easier for me to show you from the beginning," He slipped off his glove and held Rey's hand. "And please don't let go."

* * *

A young Ben sat in the middle of a dark dusty, old room. There was an excited glint in the young boy's eyes as he flicked through the pages of the large, old book. Kylo stared at his younger self while frowning, though couldn't decide whether he looked at himself with disgust or pity.

"When I was eight, I found my grandfather's old book." He rubbed his temple. "Seeing so much potential, for so much magic at my fingertips...I couldn't resist."

"You were curious," Rey stated eyeing up the child who enthusiastically read through the book.

"Foolish," Kylo murmured underneath his breath.

The young boy then placed a small necklace, an amber gemstone shaped like a sphere that hung from a silver chain onto the floor. With his dark eyes still concentrating on the writing of the pages, murmured something under his breath. A glowing blue circle surrounded him, suddenly the scene was engulfed in white light.

"What's happening?" Rey asked, squinting at the bright light.

"I told you before I journeyed into the spirit world, this is...Ben when he opened the gate," Kylo answered quietly. "Be aware the sensation is rather...unpleasant."

The emperor wasn't kidding, Rey suddenly felt like she was plummeting down at a terrifyingly fast speed through the air. Sound and air felt restricted, muffled like her entire body was being shoved underneath water. When her eyes finally adjusted to the bright light that glowed underneath her, she could see scattered lights surrounding her almost like stars floating blissfully unaware. Despite finding herself simply appearing on the ground, she could see the landing was not soft for poor Ben.

He crashed onto the rocky ground at such a force that for a moment Rey thought that he had broken his legs. She hissed, wincing slightly watching the child struggle to stand.

The young Ben blinked upwards, his dark eyes gazing at the landscape in awe.

Rey could see why his surroundings were an incredibly vast rocky looking landscape. A darkness seemed to shield the horizon with an ominous fog, yet there were bright luminous things that glowed brightly a closer inspection and she realised that they were crystals that grew out of the rocky landscape. Floating orbs occasionally drifted across the landscape.

Eventually the image of young Ben's curious dark eyes gazing on a singular orange orb that hovered above his head. His hand almost hesitantly reaching out.

"Is that Bebe?" Rey asked quietly.

Kylo did not answer right away. "Yes, her soul drifted towards mine. Spirits are always interested in living beings in the Spirit World...so are demons,"

Rey felt cold. "You think…?"

"This moment attracted my master's attention, yes," Kylo answered quietly. "Though he had been watching me for a _long_ time. Spoke to me in my dreams."

That was very disturbing to Rey.

A bright light engulfed the scene again, the young Ben looked like he was holding someone's hands. They returned back to the old room, Ben had an excited glint in his eye when he reached out for the necklace on the floor.

The orange gem now glowed and after a moment the image of the ethereal form of Bebe appeared. Her orange bright eyes seemed to try process her surroundings. She looked at Ben, looking distressed.

" _Who are you? Where is everyone?"_ Bebe asked, her voice sounded on the edge of tears.

That broke Rey's heart.

Ben looked upset at this. _"Um,"_ He seemed to think what to say for a moment. _"I'm...afraid you're a golem. You're...a spirit."_

The word dead was left unsaid.

" _I want my mama."_ Bebe whimpered. She couldn't cry, her ethereal form would not allow that.

Seeing the ghostly girl upset greatly made Ben distraught. Rey could see it on the boy's face that this was supposed to go much differently in his mind, he looked about ready to cry himself.

" _Please! Don't be upset! I'll...I'll try and fix you!"_ The young boy declared.

Bebe blinked her orange eyes at him. _"You will?"_

" _Y-yes! There has to be some way to make you human again!"_ Ben stated slightly more confidently.

" _Could I go back home after that?"_ Bebe asked timidly.

" _Sure! Where is your home?"_ Ben asked.

Bebe gave shy smile. _"Stewjon."_

" _Never really heard of where that is,"_ Ben admitted.

Their voices faded out, their chatter becoming friendlier, Bebe's expression became warmer after a while.

Rey looked at the emperor, his hand covered his face. A sinking feeling dwelled in her stomach.

"You can't turn her back, can you?" she asked sadly.

"I would if I could." Kylo softly admitted. "There are too many complications for a spirit to become human. I'd have to find another body, a _human_ body. So she wouldn't look the same as she did when she died. Her soul is youthful, her mind may never mature..."

It was clear to Rey that he really _did_ try and keep his promise.

The emperor sighed and muttered under his breath. "Foolish, foolish boy. I couldn't keep the secret for very long, that I made her." His tone turned slightly bitter. "Then when my parents found out they shipped me off to my uncle for training."

"To help you probably," Rey suggested softly. So much power for a little boy to wield was incredibly dangerous.

Kylo flinched like she hit him across the face. "To get _rid_ of me. I became a reminder of a bad memory to them!"

" _There's_ _too_ _much of his grandfather in him, Leia!"_ the echoed voice of the king boomed in the empty hallway.

Ben listened frowning as his crouched next to the crack of the door. His lip wobbling slightly.

" _Keep your voice down."_ His mother growled underneath her breath. _"Our son needs pa_ _tience, he needs-"_

" _Leia..."_ His father gave a deep sigh. _"He needs Luke to teach him."_

It sounded so final.

" _Han...you can't be asking me to..._ _Han,_ _he's just a boy."_

Rey felt Kylo squeeze her hand. She looked at him, feeling his anguish. "You don't have to relive this if it makes you uncomfortable."

He looked at her, a small bit of relief glimmered in his eyes.

The memory shifted, the sound of the chatter of children filled Rey's ears. An old building stood tall, above the forest trees, making the area below covered in shadow.

"This was the academy," Kylo told Rey.

Where all the trouble started.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you liked the chapter.**


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: How is everyone? It's been a while! The following chapter is a little longer than normal, perhaps making up for lost time. Seriously, thank you for all the reviews and favourites. It means a lot to me.**

* * *

The emperor's touch felt ice-cold against Rey's. The distant sound of children at play echoed through the landscape like ghosts. They stood at the end of massive stone steps that led into an ancient looking temple.

Kylo's voice sounded so quiet. "This was the academy in the forests of Yavin. When my parents found out about Bebe, quickly shipped me off here so I could learn."

The scene in front of them shifted, now they watched Ben walking alone in the forest. His eyes and cheeks were clearly red from crying.

"Why are you alone?" Rey's heart dropped at the sight of the young boy. "Weren't you friends with Aleksei and the other knights?"

"Eventually." Kylo murmured looking at the forest instead of the child. "Aleksei came to the academy a year or two after I did. And…I was never the best at making friends. Too quiet, I gave the impression I was being haughty to some."

Ben seemed to be anything but haughty. When he interacted with the younger Rey, he seemed to be a sweet child.

"I missed home, the forest was the closest thing to Naboo."

The trees stretched to the sky, the sunlight glinted through the dark green leaves. Rey could hear the sound of water trickling down a stream. The forest showed that nature truly ruled Yavin, in fact, Rey didn't know that much about the country save for a single battle here.

Ben finally stopped and sat below an incredibly large tree. Its trunk was gnarled and twisted, its thick branches covered the young boy in shade.

" _ **Why do you cry?"**_ said a voice so quiet it could be mistaken for the wind.

The young boy turned his head away, quickly wiping the tears off of his face with his sleeve. _"Who's…?"_ Ben's dark eyes glanced over his shoulder as if had someone touched it.

" _ **Child, why do you cry?"**_ the voice asked again in a creepily gentle tone.

Ben did not respond right away but his lip wobbled before mumbling through his fresh tears. _"I want to go home. I_ _ **hate**_ _it here! I miss my friends back in Naboo,"_

" _ **I see."**_ The creature seemed to sympathetically murmur. _**"I can see why this upsets you so. But what would you say if I told you that you could speak to them if you wished?"**_ The demon's voice started to sound horribly parental, making Rey's skin crawl.

The boy blinked up his tearful dark eyes at thin air. _"I...can?"_

" _ **Has your uncle never taught you that?"**_ the creature asked with a slight tut. _**"I can show you if you like."**_

Rey could see the Emperor deeply frowned when the young Ben smiled an eager smile. _"Show me, please!"_

" _ **Then listen, carefully."**_ the demon said. The voice proceeded to instruct the young boy in an eerily similar way that Kylo taught Rey before the ball, how to look into people's minds.

The young boy closed his eyes as he sat underneath the gnarled old tree.

" _Reyana? Can you hear me?"_ Rey could hear the quiet voice from his mind.

" _Ben?"_ A surprised but happy voice of the young Rey cried out in Ben's mind.

Ben's face beamed a proud, cheerful smile. _"Y-yes! It's me!"_

" _This is so cool!"_ the voice of the young Rey said with amazement and spouted question after question. _"How are you doing this? Did your uncle teach you this? How are the lessons?"_

Ben couldn't wipe off his grin as he answered her questions one by one. _"By my magic. No, he didn't. Lessons are boring right now, Uncle Luke wants the beginners to just meditate and focus on a burning candle."_

" _...Well, that sounds really boring!"_ Younger Rey stated. _"Mother said I can come with her next time she's at the Academy..."_ Her voice turned slightly shy. _"Could you teach me…?"_

" _I'll teach you everything,"_ Ben responded quietly a small smile on his face.

The pure joy that the two children shared just hearing each other's voices made Rey's heart sink, upon knowing that eventually, Rey would be whisked away to Jakku with no memory of her dear friend made it terribly bittersweet.

Perhaps instinctively Rey gave Kylo's hand a squeeze. "Did I ever see the Academy?"

"Once." Kylo's dark eyes glistened, a faint smile appearing on his face. It then faded away. "I felt that the demon, _Snoke_ listened to me. Actually listened. I thought he was a friend and when you disappeared I asked to learn more and more spells. It had been going on for months, until one day..."

" _Snoke?"_ Ben called out quietly, stepping near the roots of the gnarled tree. _"Snoke? Are you there?"_

The wind blew the young boy's raven hair back, the only response he received was the rustling of the leaves from the trees above him. Until finally a very frail and low voice answered.

" _ **...I'm dying..."**_

Rey glared at the thin air, Ben's face crumpled at this declaration.

" _What? Why?"_ the child's eyes immediately became watery. _"...Can I help you?"_

" _ **...You wish to help me?"**_

The boy answered more determined. _"Y-Yes! Please let me help you!"_

" _ **...Thank you...dear child..."**_ the voice croaked, it made Rey's stomach churn. _**"All I need is a bit of blood. I will tell you what to do..."**_

Ben looked up, slightly shocked. At that request he seemed to be reconsidering the notion, he nervously looked behind him perhaps someone would swoop in and help.

An unbridled rage at the creature began to build up within Rey's stomach, her other hand tightening into a fist.

" _ **...Please...Ben..."**_

With only an instant of hesitation, Ben brought his index finger to his teeth and bit down hard enough to draw blood. He winced slightly watching the bead of blood appear the tip of his thumb.

The wretched voice then quietly instructed the boy to draw a small circle on the bark of the tree in blood. Then another strange scribble in the middle, the blood suddenly let out a low hiss and turned black, burning into the bark of the tree.

" _What do I do now?"_ Ben asked suddenly rather timid.

The creature then spoke with cold and terrible intensity. _**"Hold my hand."**_

Ben's eyes widen when his hand was gripped with a much larger skeletal hand. He looked like he wanted to recoil at once upon staring at a face with hollow lifeless black eyes.

" _ **Finally my dear boy, we meet face to face.**_ _"_ Rey repressed a shudder at how _gentle_ the demon was trying to sound to the horrified Ben. The skull-like face leant in closer to the boy's face. _**"What is it that you most desire?"**_

Tears began to fall down the boy's cheeks. _"W-What?"_

" _ **You have done me a great service by bringing me into this world,"**_ the demon carefully replied. _**"Let me repay you,"**_

While the demon's tone still remained soft, his appearance and demeanour was so intimidating that wasn't a surprise to Rey when the gravity of what the situation seemed to push Ben to his limits, making the child plead for his life. _"Please, please don't kill me."_

The demon let out a chuckle though it sounded deep and grating. Rey clenched her fist at this. _**"Then I swear,"**_ A soft red light started to engulf its hand along with Ben's. _**"By the powers of the realm of the undead, that I Snoke will not kill you."**_

Ben leant away from the light before emitting a small whimper of pain. _"I-it's burning me!"_

" _ **Listen,"**_ the demon's voice seemed to be on the verge of threatening. _**"I Ben Solo."**_

" _...I Ben Solo,"_ the boy mumbled softly.

" _ **With your blood, you revive me,"**_

" _W-with my blood I revive you."_

" _ **With your magic, you bind me."**_

" _With my magic, I bind you,"_

" _ **And so the deal is made."**_ The demon said with finality. The red glow faded away, the creature lets go of the boy leaving Ben to slowly hold his hand, glancing at the fresh mark that engulfed his hand.

"That disgusting foul loathsome creature!" Rey hissed angrily at the demon. "He tricked you!"

Kylo looked vaguely surprised at her riled up reaction. "...Ben was foolish."

Rey snapped her gaze at him. "That disgusting thing manipulated you! It made you believe that he was your friend and..." She trailed off fighting to keep her temper. "There were people like that in Jakku you know, they trick children into doing their dirty work with promises of food and treats,"

"This was different." The emperor said almost instantly. Almost like a defence mechanism. Perhaps it was.

"How is it different?" Rey asked her voice soft but direct.

Kylo had no response to that. Instead, his dark gaze avoided her, he seemed almost ashamed. This instantly made Rey feel guilty.

Instead of taking the topic further she gave Kylo's hand a gentle squeeze. "Did you ever tell Luke about this?"

The Emperor silently felt the warmth from her hand before answering. "No. They punished me for making Bebe, I thought that if they found out about Snoke. I'd never see home again." He dragged his other hand through his locks of hair.

"Did you really believe that?" Rey could help but ask. She could certainly see his point of view, but at the same time, she could see the worry his parents had for him as well. Even if they'd went about it the wrong way and then a horrible suspicion drifted in her mind. "Or did Snoke imply that? Did he talk to you a lot?"

"...He talked to me more often as time went by." He sounded terribly fatigued as he said that. "Sometimes I'd forget it wasn't my own thoughts."

"Didn't your uncle...at least notice you acting strangely?" It seemed impossible for a child to gain a voice in their head without changing _some_ aspect of their personality. Rey couldn't imagine she'd act normal in their place.

Kylo rolled his eyes. "If Skywalker thought I was acting strange, he didn't say. Though he didn't seem to notice whenever his students bullied one another either." He crossed his arms, his mouth pulled into a grim expression. "He was a very hands off type of teacher. I suppose he didn't really want to focus on me too much, I was never meant to be a Mage of Light anyway,"

A trace of bitterness seemed to poison his words. He exhaled slightly before asking. "Do you know how I became the king of Naboo?"

"There are...lots of rumours of how you ascended the throne," Rey answered honestly, most of them were of underhanded means. "Truthfully I do not know."

Kylo seemed to guess what most of these rumours were. "Naboo traditions are different to compared to other parts of the world. My parents don't have to die for me to inherit the throne, in my case it was my mother's decision to rule Naboo. While she had to hunt down my missing father,"

"How did that happen?" Rey asked curiously.

Kylo almost rolled his eyes upon telling the story. "First he got lost at sea while hunting down the Millennium Falcon," The Emperor added under his breath before continuing. "I told him as much, then we different reports that two pirate gangs had him captured or fed to a rathar…" He trailed off, this sounded like a very long tale. Kylo's voice sounded quite bitter. "In other words, trouble only _Han Solo_ would get into."

For a moment it felt like Kylo forgot that Rey was there when he muttered to himself. "Fool. Why didn't he listen? Was a ship truly more important than your people?"

"Your mother couldn't leave Naboo without a ruler." Rey summarised, her hazel eyes fixed on the Emperor in concern. The thought of concern of whether or not recalling everything hurting him too much drifted through her mind.

His lips dropped to a frown, gently squeezing her hand as if to reassure her. "Exactly."

Ben looked to be much older, his tired eyes stared ahead at the congregation of people in front of him gathered in the expansive throne room, close behind him the throne, tall and foreboding. An elderly man wearing a long white robe was speaking though his speech seemed rather hushed in Kylo's memory.

Rey could see Leia standing close by, her posture regal. But her dark eyes reflected her pride along with her warm smile. Ben only flickered the faintest ghost of a smile when he caught her gaze.

" _Now, I pronounce this man King Ben Solo of Naboo."_ the old man concluded his speech by delicately placing the silver crown on Ben's head. _"Long live King Ben,"_

" _Long live the king."_ the crowd of people formally murmured before giving a polite applause.

Apparently only visible to Rey and Kylo was a black skeletal hand that clutched Ben's shoulder. Unsurprisingly Ben's expression reflected his discomfort.

The memory shifted forward slightly, the mass of people mingled with one another their voices hushed and unintelligible. Ben lifted himself from his silver crowd, his eyes stared at a figure at the end of the room.

Leia quietly made her way towards the brass door of a grand size, only stopping in her tracks when her son's voice reached her ears.

" _Mother._ " Ben's voice subdued, as if not wishing to draw attention to. He stared at her mother who let out a small sigh before sadly returning her son's gaze. " _You're leaving now, aren't you?"_

" _Yes."_ Leia quietly said. _"I have too."_

Ben looked like he wanted to protest this, though he didn't say a word his eyes seemed to beg his mother. _'Don't go.'_ After all, without Leia he'd be alone with Snoke. Ben opened his mouth, perhaps in that moment he looked like he was going to confess everything, but his mother gently cupped her son's face.

" _I know you will make a fine ruler."_ Leia's words were filled with confidence. _"Truthfully I do not know when I'll be back, it could take a very long time. But Naboo will be in safe hands."_ Her smile was small and warm.

Ben's mouth flickered upward in an attempt of a smile but it did not stay.

For a moment an odd expression descended on Leia's face, her eyebrows furrowed together and a glint of clarity shined in her brown eyes. Did she realise something was wrong then? Rey could not know for certain, but she certainly believed so when Leia's expression became laced with concern. She carefully pulled Ben into a hug, not caring who saw.

" _Ben…"_ Leia's voice was soft. Rey could not see Leia's face, only seeing her back.

After a moment of silence, Kylo admitted. "That was the last time I saw her."

' _Traitor.'_ Was the thought that was not Rey's. But it didn't sound callous but the tone sounded more sad than angry.

"When she left Naboo, everything went wrong at once," Kylo said quietly, his voice on a whispers edge. "There was a noble's revolt, Mandalore tried to conquer Naboo and the surrounding countries wanted to keep their heads down."

"Didn't the Mages of Light try and help you?"

His voice became tense. "I asked, I asked for help. Out of the many Mages of Light from the Academy, only the Knights of Ren and Luke stepped up for the fight." The Emperor's dark eyes glared at nothing, his voice became terribly bitter. "At least they had the sense to realise the greater threat of an invasion towards a small country. Especially when their motive ran on revenge and glory."

A horrible cold voice rang out that made Rey's blood run cold.

" _ **Kill him."**_ Snoke's voice was cool and grating. _**"Kill him now."**_

Ben had his sword high above his head, the chilled blue glow reflected each drop of sweat that ran down his forehead. He breathed heavily. A man laid on the floor at his feet. Rey assumed this was the Mandalorian leader with his metallic armour and the way the man coolly glared up at him.

" _...I..."_ Ben seemed to struggle with the notion of outright killing someone.

The man kicked at Ben's legs trying to get away, but Ben stabbed his sword through his hand igniting a terrible scream that rang out. Or...did Ben do that? His demeanour suddenly changed drastically, a callous grin stretched against his face.

" _ **If**_ **you** ** _can't. Then let me."_**

Rey gasped at the implication, her eyes snapped to Kylo's ashamed face. "Ben" clicked his fingers and the man screamed again when he was set on fire.

"I should've killed him on my own." Kylo murmured almost to himself again. "Ben was a foolish, fearful weakling. If I had killed him then…it would've stopped..."

Rey felt sickened at Ben's possession but lightly touched Kylo's arm. "Would've stopped what?"

" _Ben."_ the familiar voice from her dreams echoed out. Ben's uncle with his silver hand looked his nephew angrily. From their surroundings, it looked like they were in the palace gardens. _"You conquered Mandalore."_

" _Uncle, I didn't have a choice,"_ Ben muttered not quite meeting his uncle's gaze.

" _There's always a choice!"_ Luke snapped back.

" _What then?!"_ Ben snarled back making his uncle flinch in surprise. _"Hand back the country to our potential conquerors? Have them potentially attack Naboo again when we're at our weakest? I'm hearing a lot of things of what I'm doing_ _ **wrong**_ _but I'm not getting much advice!"_

" _ **Not from him anyway."**_

Luke sighed slightly. _"I don't know how to run a kingdom."_ He admitted, Luke frowned slightly his blue eyes studying his nephew. _"But I do know the potential darkness in a person when I see it. Remember your grandfather was-"_

" _Vader."_ Ben's dark eyes stared ahead. _"I'm aware. It's all you and my parents talk about my grandfather. Despite you also saying that he was once a noble fighter."_

" _Ben."_ Luke's voice became soft, almost a sad tone lace it. _"I saw you on the battlefield, I watched you set a man on fire. What made you do that?"_

Ben didn't answer.

" _Would you tell me if something was wrong?"_ Luke asked.

' _Too late for concern,'_ was the thought that drifted through Ben's mind. _'Far too late.'_

When met with silence Luke let out a sigh and cryptically said as he walked away. _"The Mages of Light will always fight_ _ **against**_ _the Dark Forces, they will never kneel to them."_

" _ **He's a threat to you."**_ The demon's voice rang out in Ben's mind.

"I kept having visions, visions of the world being destroyed. Visions of the Mages of Light rising up against me. Night after night it kept happening," Kylo admitted. "Night after night, Snoke urged me to do something about it. So eventually I did."

The memory shifted into the Academy again, the night blanketed the landscape in shadow. Ben stared ahead at the ancient building ahead. Footsteps rustled behind him, Luke's stared at his nephew in a puzzled fashion.

" _Ben?"_

" _The nobles who rebelled against me have been dealt with,"_ Ben said his back to his uncle.

" _Yes,"_ Luke's tone had a somber edge. _"I've heard."_

" _Uncle, bend the knee to me."_ Ben murmured his voice uneasy. _"I'll only ask once._ "

" _What?"_ Luke stared at him in shock.

" _You've always thought that I'd become just like Vader."_ Ben's voice was filled with hurt and betrayal. _"I've known ever since I came to the Academy. You treated me differently from the rest of your students, you were harsher."_

" _Ben, I never meant to-"_ Luke looked hurt at the accusation.

" _But I am what I am."_ Ben firmly said. _"I'll do what I'll have to, to keep this world safe. Even if I become Vader,"_ The young king unsheathed his sword. _"Even if I have to fight_ _ **you.**_ _"_

Luke frowned quickly grabbing his sword but became still when he noticed the glow of more swords behind him. Each one a ruby red glow. The Knights of Ren stepped out of the shadows, their armour all black and masks covering each one of their faces.

" _Master Luke,"_ the voice coming from the knight sounded feminine. _"Please bend the knee. We've all seen what will happen if you do not."_

They all shared the same vision, Rey realised. Luke looked utterly betrayed and for that, she couldn't blame him.

" _No."_ Ben rose his hand. _"I will fight him alone."_

With that Ben belted himself forward, the blue of his sword clashing with the green of Luke's. They both struggled but Luke managed to shove Ben away.

" _Ben! Stop this!"_ Luke pleaded. _"I don't want to fight you!"_

' _I don't want to either.'_ The thought rang through Ben's mind, his expression for a moment betrayed him. His dark eyes gazed at his uncle sadly before trying to strike him again.

That was a mistake.

" _ **If you don't want to, then let me."**_ the sinister voice of Snoke boomed.

Horror dawned on Luke's face, did he hear him? _"Ben...no..."_

' _...I..'_ Ben gritted his teeth as he blocked Luke's sword. The inner struggle present on his face, Ben couldn't fight his uncle and stop the demon in his mind at the same time.

" _ **Let me..."**_

Darkness engulfed everything, the increasingly frantic cries of Luke rang out from the black.

" _Ben! Ben! Stop!" "Maker, no!" "Stop!" "What..._ have..."

Eventually, the image of the forest landscape emerged again, Ben clutched his head blinking up in confusion. Luke sunk to his knees, the rain whipped down from the sky lashing against everything. In the distance a fire engulfed the ancient building, emitting a warm orange glow.

" _Ben,"_ One of the Knights cautiously uttered. _"You lost control of your magic..."_

Rey was for certain that wasn't true.

" _Ben, Ben! What have you done?"_ Luke sighed sadly, blood dripped from a cut off of his forehead. _"Do you even realise what you've done?"_

" _The Mages of Light will not stand against us now,"_ Ben said but his eyes revealed his confusion.

" _Ben...there were children in the temple."_ Luke uttered.

Rey clutched her mouth in horror, Ben's eyes widened as the rain lashed against his face, she could see his bottom lip almost quiver but then his eyes became steely, his mouth snapped straight and his tone became without emotion. It was like the good kind Ben had died.

" _I am not Ben, anymore."_ His voice incredibly cold. _"There is only Kylo Ren. Your Emperor."_

" _Master, what of..?"_ his knight referred to the anguished Luke on the floor.

" _Leave him alive,"_ was the only answer Kylo said. He paused as if he was going to say something before walking away, leaving Luke on his knees.

When Kylo Ren finally let go of Rey's hand, he turned away. "So there you have it. If I hadn't been so weak…a demon wouldn't have inhabited my body, there wouldn't be the blood of children on my hands." He mumbled. "You must think I'm a monster."

Rey didn't know what to say, so she clumsily embraced from behind. She answered softly against his back. "I don't think you're a monster. I don't hate you."

That was the truth. She didn't blame _him_.

Kylo's hand laced with her fingers, as Rey felt him tremble.

* * *

 **A/N: When I first wrote this story I made one simple rule. The start of darkness for Ben would not be from ambition or power but instead rooted from initial kindness. This is the reason he is actively against being overly kind to others because that's what made him who he is now.**

 **I also wanted to make Ben's fall more of a shared responsibility rather than all his fault. I'm not demonising Luke, Han or Leia rather it's solely from Ben's perspective. We'll get more of theirs in later chapters.**

 **In an earlier chapter, Bebe mentioned that Kylo saw her less and less. The death of the children in the Academy is the reason why. He feels the blood on his hands, even if it isn't entirely his fault. Regardless he blames himself for Snoke possessing him.**


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N:** **I would like to apologise for my very, very long hiatus. I have been struggling with medical issues regarding my eyes, luckily it's turned out be nothing serious. Though I still need an operation to fix things permanently. Blah, I've been given a bit of a runaround to sort things out.**

 **I** **n better news, I personally really enjoyed Last Jedi. It won't influence Fine Print too much, I will introduce Rose and Amilyn Holdo but in terms of plot, nothing is going to change. Which is slightly funny because something happened in Last Jedi I wanted to write here. I'll still do the scenario and its done in a different way but I find it an amusing coincidence.**

 **Please enjoy the story, I'm sorry again.**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

The room that was Kylo Ren's collection felt eerie, darkness engulfed the entire room with the exception of the flickering flame of the candle that she held and the golden glow of Threepio' s eyes. The silence was worse, it unsettled her, goosebumps appeared at the back of her neck.

With a metallic click, Threepio carefully fetched a large book from the glass cabinet that held many tomes of various shapes and sizes. Frivolously he wiped off the dust from the black leather cover and then gently placed it Rey's hand.

The book was much heavier than expected, without a word Threepio retrieved the candle from her hand so she may steady herself.

"This book is centuries old, Lady Rey." a hint of pride laced the golem's voice. "I'm sure it would be most fascinating to read." Threepio began to chatter happily. "You know that Queen Padme often used to do some midnight reading as well? Perhaps with some more...cheerful subjects than _Demonology._ Why once I had to gather _fifty_ books on mages and healing magic? Sometimes she'd..."

After a while, Rey tuned out the golem, somewhat and focused on the book. Carefully she opened the book, each delicate page filled to the brim with notes and illustrations on demons. The penmanship like a shaky scrawl showed the detail of black soulless eyes, pointed teeth of large gaping maws of mouths and sharp talons.

Rey's heart beat fast against her chest, the feeling of uneasiness slowly transformed into fear. Nevertheless, her fingers gripped against the page, flicking one page to the next once she was sure it was unhelpful.

On the top of each page read a name of a demon, along with was some with question marks. She flicked through names of Grievous, Plagueis, Bane.

Just when she started to believe the book didn't have the answers she was looking for, a title of a page read: _The Purging of Demons._

Perfect. A satisfied grin nearly appeared on Rey's lips but a cold chill on the back of her neck prevented her from doing so.

' _One presumes if you are reading this passage, that you've made the unfortunate mistake of making a deal with a demon. If you have not, I strongly urge not to. Regardless of motive or circumstance._

 _Demons are only similar to humans by their ambition, unfortunately, their immortal lifespan makes them able to try to achieve their goals as many times as they wish. The easiest type of demon to deal with is a brash one, the hardest is one that is patient._

 _There are two important steps to take. The first step to purging a demon is learning its true name, a demon will never use its true name. The second step is to find out how many people are under its control, despite the myth of the rule of two it **will not be revealed to you.** '_

Rey stared at the writing at the page. Words of the page stuttered, ghosts of letters faded on top of another becoming a disjointed unreadable mess. Though some words, in handwriting nothing like the author's were surprisingly clear.

' _ **Did you really think it would be that easy?**_

 _ **Sweet sweet, Rey.**_

 _ **He is mine. He will always be mine. He will be mine forever. And**_ **you w** ** _il_** ** _l be too._**

 _ **Insolent CHILD. I will never let go. Never let go. He is mine.** __**YOUR mine too. He is mine. SO will you. He is mine. Mine. Never WILL let go. Never. Never. Nev** _**er** _**.Never.** _**Ne** _**ver** _**. Let** _**go. Let** _**go. Letgo.** _**Let** _**go.** _**Mine. Mine.** _**Mine.'**

A horrid burning sensation reached Rey's hand forcing her to drop the book on the ground with a thud.

"Oh dear! Oh dear!" Threepio shrieked.

Flames engulfed the contents of the book, the golden armoured golem flapped his arms uselessly. Rey focused, focused on her anger and the flames died down as she willed the fire turn to ice.

The edges of the ice-encased flame looked razor sharp, Rey barely had time to breathe before there was a crackling sound. Rey flinched when the ice shattered, revealing the pages of the book of Demonology being completely black and charred.

Rey gripped her fist in anger. That bastard. How was she going to help Ben now?

Threepio wailed, trying to pick up the destroyed tome only for the damaged pages to crumble into ashes. "Oh dear, oh...oh how am I going to explain this to Master Ren? I must have clumsily...the flame of the candle was too close to the page…"

Rey found herself place a comforting hand on his cold metallic arm. "It isn't your fault Threepio."

"...But Master Ren..."

"I will tell Kylo," Rey gently but firmly to the golem.

Her heart sunk, looking at that destroyed remains of the tome on the floor.

* * *

The young emperor sat in the dark abyss of his subconscious. He focused, to keep his mind clear. Truthfully, Kylo Ren avoided sleep as often as he could. Mages would get visions of past, present and future. The past was a place he did not like to revisit.

 _ **'You know what I did, was for your benefit?'**_ Snoke's voice quiet but still threatening.

Kylo's look must have been incredulous since a painfully sharp sensation engulfed his mind for his insolence. He buried his anger, it would do him no good. He willed his face to remain emotionless but it was becoming harder to do so every day that passed.

 ** _'She pities you.'_ ** Snoke's tone was cruel.

Kylo wanted to silence him, but could not.

 _ **'With pity, comes empathy. The girl wants to save Ben.'** _ Snoke's voice went from a malicious snicker into a low growl. _ **'She pries in places that are dangerous, just for weak little Ben...'**_

The young emperor glared at the dark abyss, sensing the demon's fury. It will not be directed at Reyana. Not as long as he lived. A hideous electrifying pain shot through his core forcing him to his knees. Even as Kylo clutched his heart, he felt himself resisting, his glare remained. Almost by primal instinct, Kylo's magic pushed Snoke's grip back, relief started to return to his body. He could feel the demon almost recoil.

A raspy quiet chuckle echoed in his mind.

* * *

Kylo had fallen asleep on her bed, his breath shallow, his black locks of hair scrawled out on top of her bedsheets. Rey sadly noted that he didn't look peaceful, his eyebrows were furrowed and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Not even in his dreams did he find relief. Her mind wandered back to the island that she often visited in sleep and it made her heart sink.

Rey saw so much of her own troubles in Ben, with her isolated childhood in Jakku. If a voice wanted to be her friend, would she have been different? Truthfully, Rey felt she would've made the same mistake. By Ben's age in the vision, she distrusted many adults. Rey _had_ to, in order to survive in Jakku. But she retreated in her imagination, a great many times. Pretending to talk to imaginary friends and parents that weren't there as she trekked the sandy dunes or scavenged for items in the land ships.

If she had thought the voice was just in her mind...

Kylo's eyes snapped open, making Rey flinch. He sat up, his dark eyes locking onto hers. A faint relieved smile appeared on his lips and Rey returned it with an unsure smile of her own.

"Where did you go?" his voice soft, unaccusing but Rey sensed his anxiousness.

"...Your collection." Rey answered honestly. An embarrassed blush reached her cheeks, as she revealed the now lighter charred book in her hands. "Erm, one of your books set on fire."

The young emperor retrieved the once large tome, now nearly a husk, its black leather cover completely untouched while its contents were blackened, ashes and slush that was once ice pouring out from the inside.

"The book of Demonology...this was centuries years old."

"B-Kylo-"

"I'm not angry Rey. If the roles were reversed, I would've done the same thing..." Kylo calmly said, yet his face looked deadly serious. "But you need to promise me, don't try this again. Snoke will _not_ take it lightly a second time. He may harm you if he deems you too much of a threat."

"...I'm not afraid of him," Rey said defiantly. A lie, she tried to sound braver than she felt. "I won't let him touch me."

Kylo's dark eyes stared at her. "He doesn't have to touch you to destroy you. He will force you to watch your deepest primal fears, your worst memories. Even when you realise you're sleeping, he won't let you wake. It will feel like an eternity." He recounted in horrifying detail.

Rey felt him gently grasp her hand.

"You _can't_ save Ben." His tone soft but his words crushed her heart. "Not when I'm bonded to Snoke."

Despite the truth in his words, Rey refused to believe that Snoke was unbeatable. Why else would he destroy that book? Fury built up inside her thinking she had the solution right in her hands and he destroyed it. To try and frighten her. While she was deep in thought, Rey felt Kylo's hand caress her cheek.

"Please, don't try it again." His dark eyes stared at her with a silent plea.

Heat rose to her cheeks at the contact and felt her own hand touch his. Rey forced herself to give a silent nod. It was a silent lie, she'd never give up.

* * *

A muffled scream bellowed through the makeshift gag of torn cloth. The Hutt laid sprawled out against the wooden planks of the ship, ropes tied tightly against his wrists and body. Throughout the journey, he wriggled pathetically against his bindings until he grew tired. Clearly very unused to not being pampered, whenever he _wasn't_ begging for his life, he'd try and demand food or water.

Honestly, this journey made Vano increasingly thankful that he normally killed his contracts.

Though his sister Ailyn became more on edge with each passing day.

"Shut it, you!" she growled, swiftly bringing her leather boot to the man's side, earning a whimper of pain. Glaring at the fat nobleman, Ailyn made a motion to kick him again.

"Ailyn." Vano's muttered as he sharpened his dagger, not looking at her. "Don't damage him. It'll spoil the Emperor's fun." The mention of the Emperor made Rotta squirm.

His sister had a particular hatred for Hutts and a particular joy in killing with skill. Asking Ailyn not to kill or harm him, was like asking a fish to stop swimming. With gritted teeth she moved to stare out into the ocean, ignoring the pitiful protests of the Hutt.

"You could always go to the lower deck..." Vano suggested.

"...I don't like being around _them_." Ailyn admitted quietly, an uncharacteristic look of abject horror filled her expression. "Though I feel like a shit for saying that."

Vano looked at her in understanding. The poor women down in the lower deck sadly would make most peopleuncomfortable. All of them had glassy, dead eyes and a small scar above on their forehead. They acting like living undead, they never spoke unless spoken too, they didn't seem to want to do anything but would if told to. Bazine's agent never left her poor sister's side, her expression sharp like she wanted to finish Rotta herself.

The Hutt never left Vano's line of sight. He couldn't be sure if the Hutt wouldn't do the same to Ailyn.

"Hey! I see land!" Ailyn cried out, relief laced her words.

Vano smirked, his eye looked down at the lump of a man on the floor. Rotta's bulging eyes stared up at him, with a disgusting plea. A quieter voice came from behind the muffled gag, the first time during the entire journey. Curious the assassin slipped the gag off.

"I will pay you, please at least kill me before... _he_ gets me." The Hutt's voice rasped out.

The assassin barked out a laugh. "So the Emperor can than unleash his wrath on me? Nah, besides you don't have _that_ much money on you."

"I...I think I know you..." Rotta's bulging brown eyes stared into Vano's face. "You look like B-"

Sensing the Hutt was about to get personal, the bored Vano unceremoniously shoved the make-shift gag back into the man's mouth.

* * *

Rey had a feeling something was going on. Bazine arrived several hours Kylo left her alone to inform her, they were travelling to Taelia Hux's party together. Something she had completely forgotten about. Honestly, Rey believed she was being shooed away, though she didn't know why.

Was he trying to do something about Snoke and didn't want to concern her?

Rey eyed Bazine as travelled by carriage, the woman had a glint in her emerald eyes as she gazed out into the countryside. Though Bazine must've been aware of her being deep in thought as she finally said.

"You know I don't care much for tea parties either?" Bazine's voice was not unkind, spoken with slight mirth.

Rey smirked despite herself. "You certainly don't seem the type."

Bazine let out a slight cackle. "I think most of the nobility would agree with you, dear."

"I don't see the point of it," Rey said honestly. The word ' _tea party_ ' sounded very condescending like it was a gathering of small children in frilled outfits than a gathering of noble women. "Surely there are better things to do, other than..."

Truthfully Rey wasn't sure _what_ people did at tea parties. Other than drink tea of course.

"For some noble ladies. No." Bazine let out a tiny snort as she said this. "These gatherings are normally an excuse for a catch-up in gossip." A tiny smirk rested on her plum coloured lips. "Though in this case..."

Rey frowned. "...It's something to do with me?"

"Oh, it's _everything_ to do with you, my dear," Bazine seemed to find amusement in this, though it wasn't at Rey's expense. "You've been the name on everyone's lips since the emperor found you. I think Taelia wants to get to know her rival on a more...intimate level."

"Rival? I don't even know her." Though as she said this, Rey remembered despising Kylo Ren before ever meeting him. When he was only the faceless, Emperor.

"Taelia wanted to be empress," Bazine's smile never left her face. But her eyes seemed sympathetic, almost sad. "Before I knew about you...I might've encouraged the possibility of a union. I think she feels betrayed."

When Rey saw the Hux girl at the gathering, she seemed to very haughty. But Rey has been wrong about people before.

"So...what _are_ they saying about me?" Rey asked curiously.

The smile left Bazine's face. She looked uncomfortable. "Oh. _Some_ nobility has been spreading rumours like you're an imposter. A prostitute, commoner with no place on the throne...many things."

Rey felt her cheeks grow red with rage. "But I was born a noble! How dare-"

Bazine cackled again. "Spoken like true nobility, if you want my advice? Take no notice. Prove them wrong."

The more Rey learned about the nobles, the more insipid the little gathering seemed.

* * *

Kylo Ren knew deep in his heart, he should try and stop shielding Reyana from things.

She was strong, fierce, determined. It was what he loved about her. He hoped that one day she'll feel same for him. They seemed to have made leaps and bounds from her first arrival at Naboo.

But the thought of disappointing her, or worse her completely despising him forever. Was a constant fear in the back of the young emperor's mind.

They were cruel things he had to do, that Kylo did not wish to do. He never wanted to conquer Mandalore, but if he didn't another leader would've tried to invade Naboo again. He didn't want to kill the rebels who initiated riots in the streets. But they wouldn't see his view and if he seemed weak _more_ people would attack his home.

Kylo Ren judged most things for the greater good. For his people, for the world. A necessary evil.

But he also knew deep in his heart, that he _**wanted**_ to interrogate Rotta the Hutt. And he will **enjoy** doing so. Especially for what the man tried to do to Reyana. What he wanted to do to her.

He didn't want Rey to see or sense...

 _The real Kylo Ren._ A nasty thought spoke at the back of his mind.

His storm soldiers open the cell door, it was a bleakly dark cell that Kylo Ren only saved for the worst offenders. It had not been used for a very long time.

Iron shackles attached to the stone ceiling tightly covered Rotta the Hutt's hand, his arms stretched to its limits making his legs slightly sag. It looked terribly uncomfortable. Good. Rotta looked like a particularly large piece of meat that hung from a hook.

 **"Leave us,"** Kylo commanded his guards.

Obediently and silently they left. The emperor took quiet pleasure in sensing the obese man's increasing fear. Slowly he stepped forward.

 **"First. You will tell me, what you planned to do with Reyana."** Kylo's voice had a furious yet tranquil tone.

Rotta's lip quivered. "D-don't you kn-"

 **"I want to hear from** _ **YOUR**_ **mouth."** Kylo snarled, he lifted his gloved hand. An invisible hand gripped Rotta's neck, it made the man gasp sharply, the man lifted upward a few inches in the air. **"You will tell me _everything_."**

Kylo Ren released the invisible grip, the small sliver of hope Rotta had that the emperor would be merciful vanished quickly when the man saw him take off his mask. And his glowing red eyes.

The emperor summoned flames in his hand. He would make it hurt.

* * *

 _'The boy's struggle with darkness is a hard path to take,'_ a deep voice quietly said. _'Snoke's influence is strong.'_

Luke frowned, his tried eyes stared at thin air. "Answer honestly, do you think there's good in him? Or has he completely fallen?"

A small silence before the deep voice said. _'You should have as much faith in him, as you once had for me.'_

It felt like decades had passed since the fall of his academy, his youth like centuries. Luke had failed. He knew that he not only failed as a teacher but as an uncle, a brother and friend. If only he had talked to Ben more than maybe he'd have detected Snoke sooner. His blue eyes glanced at the flames of a campfire near his stone hut. Han, the two young men were waiting.

"They think I have all the answers." Luke murmured quietly.

 _'You **do** have answers.'_ the deep voice responded.

"None that _they_ need to hear," Luke answered back. " _They_ can do nothing about the prophecy. Or prevent what could potentially happen to the world. I didn't ask them to come here."

 _'I once thought I needed no one.'_ the deep voice's words carried weight. _'It is good, that the girl is wiser.'_

Rey needed them, this is what the voice meant. Luke's gaze wandered over to the Millenium Falcon resting upon the shore, a terrible sense of guilt rose in his gut. _'Oh Han...'_

* * *

Poe stared at Luke Skywalker whispering to thin air. He leaned in to whisper in Finn's ear with a hiss. "He's gone _insane._ "

"...It could be something _we_ can't see?" Finn suggested though he glanced at the hermit. Perhaps living in solitary on an island has worn away the war hero's mind.

Poe let out an impatient snort. "He is is giving us _no_ answers. We can't help Rey sitting around doing nothing!"

"What are you suggesting?" asked Finn, watching Poe stand up, a small smirk on the man's face.

"There's a temple here," Poe muttered, his eyes stared at the dark island landscape. "A Mage of Light Temple maybe there..."

"Poe," Finn frowned. "That's a terrible idea."

"Fine." Poe hissed at him, shooting a half-hearted glare. "You sit and do nothing. _I'll_ go alone."

Finn watched his friend wander off into the darkness, he glanced back at Luke Skywalker who stared at the ocean. Letting out a defeated sigh, he decided to follow Poe.

* * *

 **A/N:** **I hope you liked this chapter, please tell me what you think.**


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